Locomotor kinematics of the gecko (Tokay gecko) upon challenge with various inclines

Abstract

Tokay geckos are skillful climbers and are able to negotiate difficult terrain such as steep slopes and overhanging inclines without losing their foothold. Here, we present data on the changes in locomotor kinematics when geckos are challenged to walk on various inclined surfaces. We trained individual geckos to move along a platform which can be tilted to simulate different slopes. The animals were filmed using a high-speed video camera. The results showed that their speed decreased with increasing slope angle, and their speed on the steep and inverted slopes (sloped angle >60°) decreased at a faster rate than on the shallow slopes (sloped angle <60°). The geckos’ stride length was much greater on the shallow slopes compared to the inverted slopes. The influence of stride length and stride frequency on speed was different when the geckos moved across different slopes. There are significant differences duty factor, which varied from 0.54 when wall climbing (90° slope) to 0.84 when walking on the ceiling (180° slope). The mechanisms revealed this study will improve our understanding of control strategies in kinematics and inspire the design of robots with greater mobility.