Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Baxi Chong, Tianyu Wang, Eva Erickson, Philip J. Bergmann, Daniel Goldman
Summary: This study investigates body-limb coordination in lizards using biological experiments, a geometric theory of locomotion, and robophysical models. The findings suggest that body-wave dynamics in lizards can be described by a combination of standing and traveling waves, and the ratio of these components is inversely related to limb reduction and body elongation. The study also reveals that soil-dwelling lizards propel via terrestrial swimming, similar to sand-swimming lizards and snakes. The research provides insights into the functional constraints of elongation and limb reduction and can contribute to advancements in robot designs.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biology
Michelle Graham, John J. Socha
Summary: In arboreal habitats, dynamic movements play a crucial role in gap-crossing behaviors of arboreal animals. Research has shown that flying snakes are able to use jumping behaviors to cross larger distances, instead of employing the cantilever crawl used by most snakes. This dynamic jumping behavior allows flying snakes to access greater resources in the arboreal environment.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Dominik Fohrmann, Daniel Hamacher, Alberto Sanchez-Alvarado, Wolfgang Potthast, Patrick Mai, Steffen Willwacher, Karsten Hollander
Summary: Running stability refers to the ability to withstand minor perturbations during running. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of running stability measurements in different laboratory and outdoor conditions. The results showed moderate to excellent reliability for both overground and treadmill running.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peter J. Bishop, Antoine Falisse, Friedl De Groote, John R. Hutchinson
Summary: This study utilized computational biomechanics to simulate locomotion in the extinct dinosaur Coelophysis, revealing the crucial role of tail lateroflexion in dynamic balance and locomotor efficiency, similar to the swinging arms in humans. The methodology used in this study opens up new avenues for exploring the functional diversity of dinosaur tails in the future.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aaron S. Fox, Jason Bonacci, John Warmenhoven, Meghan F. Keast
Summary: The effect of the quantity and selection of gait cycles on biomechanical measures in running technique analysis is examined. The study finds that using more gait cycles can reduce the error of representative means compared to the "ground truth," and analyzing a small sample of cycles (5-10 cycles) typically results in minimal error (<2 degrees) at lower speeds.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katherine A. J. Daniels, J. F. Burn
Summary: The study demonstrates that changes in limb kinematics can occur even without introducing mechanical requirements or increasing collision risks due to manipulation of obstacle geometry. Horizontal displacement of a baseline beneath an obstacle induced a horizontal translation of limb trajectory, indicating that systematic changes to limb trajectories can occur without a change in sensed mechanical constraints or optimization. The nature of visuomotor control of human leaping may involve continuous mapping of sensory input to kinematic output rather than being responsive only to information perceived as mechanically relevant.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Heather Ewart, Peter Tickle, Robert Nudds, William Sellers, Dane Crossley, Jonathan Codd
Summary: Tortoises have an optimum speed range to minimize their metabolic cost of transport. They are economical walkers due to the biomechanics of their walking gait and the specialization of their limb muscle physiology. These findings highlight the unique energy efficiency in tortoise locomotion.
Article
Sport Sciences
Bradley J. Bowser, Kristen Roles
Summary: In running mechanics, overweight and obese children (OW/OB group) exhibit differences compared to healthy weight children (HW group) such as longer stance time, shorter step length, altered joint angles, and higher ground reaction forces. These differences may indicate increased injury risk or joint degeneration among OW/OB children.
MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS & EXERCISE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Sarah Dillon, Aoife Burke, Enda F. Whyte, Siobhan O'Connor, Shane Gore, Kieran A. Moran
Summary: Peak accelerations and rate of acceleration show moderate to excellent relative consistency between different running surfaces, but low absolute agreement. Differences in mean values were found for peak accel and rate accel at the shank between overground running and treadmill running, with no significant difference at the lower back.
Article
Sport Sciences
Jorge L. Storniolo, Gabriela Fischer, Renata Bona, Alexandre Pinho, Alex P. Moorhead, Marcus Tartaruga, Paula Finatto, Leonardo Peyre-Tartaruga
Summary: This study examines the effects of strength training on running performance. The results suggest that improved neuromuscular factors due to strength training may contribute to a higher metabolic economy during running after 8 weeks of intervention. However, no significant improvement in mechanical efficiency was observed.
Article
Biology
James Charles, Roger Kissane, Tatjana Hoehfurtner, Karl T. Bates
Summary: The size and arrangement of muscle fibers play a crucial role in their kinetic and energetic performance. However, previous studies have relied on a small number of fiber measurements to quantify muscle architectural properties, leading to potentially large errors. This study addresses this issue by combining medical imaging, statistical analysis, and computer simulation, and demonstrates the significant impact of errors in fiber architecture characterization on the prediction of in-vivo dynamics and muscle function, as well as the assessment of muscle specialization across species. These findings have important implications for a wide range of research fields.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alberto Encarnacion-Martinez, Pedro Perez-Soriano, Roberto Sanchis-Sanchis, Rafael Berenguer-Vidal, Antonio Garcia-Gallart
Summary: Central fatigue leads to greater increases in range of movements during midstance in running.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Biology
Julian Thomas, Stanislav N. Gorb, Thies H. Buescher
Summary: Stick and leaf insects, as herbivores, attach and walk on a variety of plant substrates. The attachment forces of these insects are influenced by surface free energy and water presence, with species and adhesive microstructures adapting differently to surface properties.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Spencer Rasmussen, Baker Wilkes, Lily Poulton, Megan Roser, Shane Draper, Andrew Creer, Tyler Standifird
Summary: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of sex-specific running shoes on the biomechanics and physiology of female runners. The results showed that there were no significant differences in measured variables between the female and male versions of the shoes, suggesting that the alterations made to the female-specific shoe do not provide any additional benefit to female recreational runners.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Emily L. McClelland, Peter G. Weyand
Summary: Human running performance is stratified by sex, with larger differences observed in longer distance events. In sprint running, the differences between male and female performance increase with distance, while in longer endurance events, the differences remain relatively constant.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)