A learning robot for cognitive camera control in minimally invasive surgery.

Background: We demonstrate the first self-learning, context-sensitive, autonomous camera-guiding robot applicable to minimally invasive surgery. The majority of surgical robots nowadays are telemanipulators without autonomous capabilities. Autonomous systems have been developed for laparoscopic camera guidance, however following simple rules and not adapting their behavior to specific tasks, procedures, or surgeons.

epiTracker: A Framework for Highly Reliable Particle Tracking for the Quantitative Analysis of Fish Movements in Tanks.

Behavioral analysis of moving animals relies on a faithful recording and track analysis to extract relevant parameters of movement. To study group behavior and social interactions, often simultaneous analyses of individuals are required. To detect social interactions, for example to identify the leader of a group as opposed to followers, one needs an error-free segmentation of individual tracks throughout time.

Automated Versatile DIY Microscope Platform.

A versatile robot platform is presented that can be used to design low-cost custom made microscopes in do-ityourself construction. All components like the framework, the linear drives, robot controller and driver, the illumination and the camera are described as well as optional features like fluorescence microscopy and auto-focus. Finally, an application for automated imaging of 3D-cell cultures in 96-well microplates is presented.