Terrestrial Locomotion Research Articles

Differences in the vertical components of substrate reaction forces between two modes of infant carrying in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata fuscata)

AbstractObjectivesJapanese macaque mothers carry their infants ventrally (VC) or dorsally (DC). As the infant weight increases, the dominant mode of infant carrying transitions from VC to DC. We biomechanically tested the hypothesis that the transition is associated with relieving vertical components of substrate reaction forces (SRFvrts) acting on the forelimbs, as macaques prefer to support their body weight mainly using the hindlimbs. The test is based on two expectations: (1) during VC, higher SRFvrts act on the forelimbs, and (2) SRFvrts during DC do not significantly differ from those of a control condition in which the mother walked alone.Materials and methodsTwo female Japanese macaques rearing 1‐year‐old infants were used for terrestrial locomotor experiments, and five females were used for arboreal experiments. We collected the SRFvrts acting on the fore‐ and hindlimbs at midstance when the macaques walked on the ground and pole and statistically compared the values among the control condition, VC, and DC.ResultsHigher relative SRFvrts normalized by the total weights of the mother and infant acted on the forelimbs during VC compared with the control condition and DC, regardless of the substrate type. The relative forelimb SRFvrts during DC exhibited similar values to those during the control condition.DiscussionThe transition to DC could relieve the excessive loads acting on the forelimb. Despite the biomechanical costs of VC, the carriage mode has evolved in the order primates likely because VC might enable the mother to protect her infant from predators.

Snow hardness impacts intranivean locomotion of arctic small mammals

AbstractFossorial locomotion is often considered as the most energetically costly of all terrestrial locomotion. Small arctic rodents, such as lemmings, dig tunnels not only in the soil but also through the snowpack, which is present for over 8 months of the year. Lemmings typically dig in the softest snow layer called the depth hoar but with climate change, melt‐freeze and rain‐on‐snow (ROS) events are expected to increase in the Arctic, leading to a higher frequency of hardened snowpacks. We assessed the impacts of snow hardness on the locomotion of two lemming species showing different morphological adaptations for digging. We hypothesized that an increase in snow hardness would (1) decrease lemming performance and (2) increase their effort while digging, but those responses would differ between lemming species. We exposed four brown lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus) and three collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) to snow of different hardness (soft, hard, and ROS) during 30‐min trials (n = 63 trials) in a cold room and filmed their behavior. We found that the digging speed and tunnel length of both species decreased with snow hardness and density, underlining the critical role of snow properties in affecting lemming digging performance. During the ROS trials, time spent digging by lemmings increased considerably and they also started using their incisors to help break the hard snow, validating our second hypothesis. Overall, digging performance was higher in collared lemmings, the species showing more morphological adaptations to digging, than in brown lemmings. We conclude that the digging performance of lemming is highly dependent on snowpack hardness and that the anticipated increase in ROS events may pose a critical energetic challenge for arctic rodent populations.

Friction modulation in limbless, three-dimensional gaits and heterogeneous terrains

Motivated by a possible convergence of terrestrial limbless locomotion strategies ultimately determined by interfacial effects, we show how both 3D gait alterations and locomotory adaptations to heterogeneous terrains can be understood through the lens of local friction modulation. Via an effective-friction modeling approach, compounded by 3D simulations, the emergence and disappearance of a range of locomotory behaviors observed in nature is systematically explained in relation to inhabited environments. Our approach also simplifies the treatment of terrain heterogeneity, whereby even solid obstacles may be seen as high friction regions, which we confirm against experiments of snakes ‘diffracting’ while traversing rows of posts, similar to optical waves. We further this optic analogy by illustrating snake refraction, reflection and lens focusing. We use these insights to engineer surface friction patterns and demonstrate passive snake navigation in complex topographies. Overall, our study outlines a unified view that connects active and passive 3D mechanics with heterogeneous interfacial effects to explain a broad set of biological observations, and potentially inspire engineering design.

Crawl and Fly: A Bio-Inspired Robot Utilizing Unified Actuation for Hybrid Aerial-Terrestrial Locomotion

This letter details the design and validation of a legged terrestrial locomotion system integrated onto a hummingbird-scale flapping wing robot. Two pairs of legs powered by the flight actuators allow forward, reverse, and steering motions while on the ground. Through controlled sinusoidal drive signals, this mechanically simple locomotion system allows the robot to crawl through small gaps about half the height of spaces through which it could fly thanks to the robot's transition from a vertical to horizontal orientation when crawling. On smooth hard surfaces, the robot is capable of crawling at 100 mm/s. Gaining a terrestrial mode of movement not only expands its locomotion strategies and environmental adaptability, but it also improves the endurance of the robot in particular missions due to the low power consumption. A unique design principle is that the flight components of the robot are unchanged from the original aerial robot design, and terrestrial locomotion is realized with the addition of two capstan-interlinked pairs of legs constructed from 3D printed plastic and carbon fiber rods. Based on the dual use of the flight actuators, the robot experimentally demonstrated sustained hybrid aerial-terrestrial locomotion as well as smooth crawl-to-fly transition.

Relative skull size as one of the factors limiting skull shape variation in passerines

Despite a considerable interest among researchers in understanding the variation in skull shapes of birds and the factors influencing it, some of the drivers associated with the design features of an entire bird body, which are important for both successful terrestrial locomotion and flight, have been overlooked. One such factor, in our opinion, is relative skull size (skull length in relation to body mass), which can affect the position of the body’s center of gravity. We tested the effects of relative skull size, allometry (i.e., absolute skull size), and diet on variation in skull shape. The study was conducted on 50 songbird species representing a wide range of body masses (8.3–570 g) and dietary preferences (granivores, insectivores/granivores, insectivores, omnivores). Skull shape was analyzed using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics. We found that similar patterns of skull shape occur among passerines with different body sizes and diets. Relative skull size predicted skull shape to a similar extent and with a similar pattern as the absolute size. The effect of relative skull size on skull shape variation is likely due to biomechanical constraints related to flight.

The locomotion of extinct secondarily aquatic tetrapods

The colonisation of freshwater and marine ecosystems by land vertebrates has repeatedly occurred in amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals over the course of 300 million years. Functional interpretations of the fossil record are crucial to understanding the forces shaping these evolutionary transitions. Secondarily aquatic tetrapods have acquired a suite of anatomical, physiological and behavioural adaptations to locomotion in water. However, much of this information is lost for extinct clades, with fossil evidence often restricted to osteological data and a few extraordinary specimens with soft tissue preservation. Traditionally, functional morphology in fossil secondarily aquatic tetrapods was investigated through comparative anatomy and correlation with living functional analogues. However, in the last two decades, biomechanics in palaeobiology has experienced a remarkable methodological shift. Anatomy-based approaches are increasingly rigorous, informed by quantitative techniques for analysing shape. Moreover, the incorporation of physics-based methods has enabled objective tests of functional hypotheses, revealing the importance of hydrodynamic forces as drivers of evolutionary innovation and adaptation. Here, we present an overview of the latest research on the locomotion of extinct secondarily aquatic tetrapods, with a focus on amniotes, highlighting the state-of-the-art experimental approaches used in this field. We discuss the suitability of these techniques for exploring different aspects of locomotory adaptation, analysing their advantages and limitations and laying out recommendations for their application, with the aim to inform future experimental strategies. Furthermore, we outline some unexplored research avenues that have been successfully deployed in other areas of palaeobiomechanical research, such as the use of dynamic models in feeding mechanics and terrestrial locomotion, thus providing a new methodological synthesis for the field of locomotory biomechanics in extinct secondarily aquatic vertebrates. Advances in imaging technology and three-dimensional modelling software, new developments in robotics, and increased availability and awareness of numerical methods like computational fluid dynamics make this an exciting time for analysing form and function in ancient vertebrates.

Modeling Sprawling Locomotion of the Stem Amniote Orobates: An Examination of Hindlimb Muscle Strains and Validation Using Extant Caiman

The stem amnioteOrobates pabstihas been reconstructed to be capable of relatively erect, balanced, and mechanically power-saving terrestrial locomotion. This suggested that the evolution of such advanced locomotor capabilities preceded the origin of crown-group amniotes. We here further investigate plausible body postures and locomotion ofOrobatesby taking soft tissues into account. Freely available animation software BLENDERis used to first reconstruct the lines of action of hindlimb adductors and retractors forOrobatesand then estimate the muscle strain of these muscles. We experimentally varied different body heights in modeled hindlimb stride cycles ofOrobatesto find the posture that maximizes optimal strains over the course of a stride cycle. To validate our method, we usedCaiman crocodilus. We replicated the identical workflow used for the analysis ofOrobatesand compared the locomotor posture predicted forCaimanbased on muscle strain analysis with this species’ actual postural data known from a previously published X-ray motion analysis. Since this validation experiment demonstrated a close match between the modeled posture that maximizes optimal adductor and retractor muscle strain and thein vivoposture employed byCaiman, using the same method forOrobateswas justified. Generally, the use of muscle strain analysis for the reconstruction of posture in quadrupedal vertebrate fossils thus appears a promising approach. Nevertheless, results forOrobatesremained inconclusive as several postures resulted in similar muscle strains and none of the postures could be entirely excluded. These results are not in conflict with the previously inferred moderately erect locomotor posture ofOrobatesand suggest considerable variability of posture during locomotion.

Reffling: A Novel Locomotor Behavior Used by Neotropical Armored Catfishes (Loricariidae) in Terrestrial Environments

Neotropical suckermouth armored catfishes (Loricariidae) are known to exhibit terrestrial behaviors, but these have been poorly described. The goals of this study are to describe (1) the terrestrial locomotion of loricariid catfishes, (2) how their unique morphology may affect terrestrial movements, and (3) how behavior, performance, and kinematics relate to species and endurance. The terrestrial locomotion of four loricariid species (three species of Pterygoplichthys and one species of Hypostomus) was recorded using high-speed cameras. Videos were digitized in MATLAB and ImageJ to compare performance and kinematics between species and over time. Morphology was described using micro-computed tomography scans and dissections. Loricariid catfishes use a novel, highly asymmetric form of axial-appendage-based terrestrial locomotion involving their mouth, pectoral fins, pelvic fins, posterior axial body, and tail. As this behavior is so unlike any other described locomotor behavior, we have created a new word to describe it: reffling. These species have numerous unique morphological traits that may greatly reduce body and fin flexibility. Because loricariids are so inflexible, they may be constrained into reffling as their only means of terrestrial locomotion, but their stiffness may improve force transmission, allowing them to be among the fastest fishes on land. Overall, all four species examined had very similar terrestrial kinematics and performance. Their performance generally declined over time, but different species had different endurance levels. Because many loricariid species are invasive throughout the world, it is important to consider their capacity to disperse into new bodies of water overland in management plans and risk assessments.

Kinematic adjustments to arboreal locomotion in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).

Although biomechanical adaptations to arboreal locomotion have been well investigated in primates and other mammals in laboratory settings, the results are not consistent, and more species need to be studied to build a comprehensive picture of this. Here, we used three-dimensional videography to quantify kinematic parameters thought to be associated with locomotor stability while two Japanese macaques walked on terrestrial and simulated arboreal substrates (a horizontal pole, which was narrow relative to the animal's body width). The parameters investigated included temporal-spatial gait variables, those associated with compliant walking, the height of the shoulder and hip, and hand and foot clearance during the swing phase. We found that there were many individual differences in kinematic adjustments made by the monkeys during arboreal locomotion. More importantly, the results were consistent between the monkeys for three parameters: maximum hand clearance, maximum hip height, and maximum foot clearance. The monkeys showed lower maximum hand and foot clearances during arboreal locomotion than during terrestrial locomotion, indicating that the hands and feet were kept close to the substrate surface during the swing phase. They also showed lower maximum hip heights during arboreal locomotion, suggesting that their whole-body centers of mass were lowered. These consistent kinematic adjustments can be interpreted as strategies for enhancing stability and reducing the risk of falling from a height. Overall, these results show that Japanese macaques make significant biomechanical adaptations to arboreal locomotion that are not fully consistent with existing data for other animals.

Scaling of axial muscle architecture in juvenile Alligator mississippiensis reveals an enhanced performance capacity of accessory breathing mechanisms.

Quantitative functional anatomy of amniote thoracic and abdominal regions is crucial to understanding constraints on and adaptations for facilitating simultaneous breathing and locomotion. Crocodilians have diverse locomotor modes and variable breathing mechanics facilitated by basal and derived (accessory) muscles. However, the inherent flexibility of these systems is not well studied, and the functional specialisation of the crocodilian trunk is yet to be investigated. Increases in body size and trunk stiffness would be expected to cause a disproportionate increase in muscle force demands and therefore constrain the basal costal aspiration mechanism, necessitating changes in respiratory mechanics. Here, we describe the anatomy of the trunk muscles, their properties that determine muscle performance (mass, length and physiological cross‐sectional area [PCSA]) and investigate their scaling in juvenile Alligator mississippiensis spanning an order of magnitude in body mass (359 g–5.5 kg). Comparatively, the expiratory muscles (transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, iliocostalis), which compress the trunk, have greater relative PCSA being specialised for greater force‐generating capacity, while the inspiratory muscles (diaphragmaticus, truncocaudalis ischiotruncus, ischiopubis), which create negative internal pressure, have greater relative fascicle lengths, being adapted for greater working range and contraction velocity. Fascicle lengths of the accessory diaphragmaticus scaled with positive allometry in the alligators examined, enhancing contractile capacity, in line with this muscle's ability to modulate both tidal volume and breathing frequency in response to energetic demand during terrestrial locomotion. The iliocostalis, an accessory expiratory muscle, also demonstrated positive allometry in fascicle lengths and mass. All accessory muscles of the infrapubic abdominal wall demonstrated positive allometry in PCSA, which would enhance their force‐generating capacity. Conversely, the basal tetrapod expiratory pump (transversus abdominis) scaled isometrically, which may indicate a decreased reliance on this muscle with ontogeny. Collectively, these findings would support existing anecdotal evidence that crocodilians shift their breathing mechanics as they increase in size. Furthermore, the functional specialisation of the diaphragmaticus and compliance of the body wall in the lumbar region against which it works may contribute to low‐cost breathing in crocodilians.

Generation of propulsive force via vertical undulations in snakes.

ABSTRACTLateral undulation is the most widespread mode of terrestrial vertebrate limbless locomotion, in which posteriorly propagating horizontal waves press against environmental asperities (e.g. grass, rocks) and generate propulsive reaction forces. We hypothesized that snakes can generate propulsion using a similar mechanism of posteriorly propagating vertical waves pressing against suitably oriented environmental asperities. Using an array of horizontally oriented cylinders, one of which was equipped with force sensors, and a motion capture system, we found snakes generated substantial propulsive force and propulsive impulse with minimal contribution from lateral undulation. Additional tests showed that snakes could propel themselves via vertical undulations from a single suitable contact point, and this mechanism was replicated in a robotic model. Vertical undulations can provide snakes with a valuable locomotor tool for taking advantage of vertical asperities in a variety of habitats, potentially in combination with lateral undulation, to fully exploit the 3D structure of the habitat.

Altered temperature affect body condition and endochondral ossification in Bufo gargarizans tadpoles.

Bufo gargarizans is one kind of economic animals with higher medicinal value in China. In this study, B. gargarizans (Bufo gargarizans) tadpoles were reared at three different water temperature (15, 22 and 29°C) from Gosner stages 28-46. We investigated the effects of temperature on growth, development, survival, metamorphic duration, size and skeletal ossification at Gosner stage 40, 42, and 46, as well as thyroid tissue reached metamorphic climax (Gs42). Besides, we examined the transcription levels of endochondral ossification-related genes in hind limb at metamorphic climax (Gs42). Our results showed that the growth and development of tadpoles conform to the temperature-size rule (TSR). While warm temperature resulted in the decrease in body size and hind limb length, and shorten larval period, cold temperature led to increase in body size and hind limb length but prolonged larval period. Histological examinations revealed that warm and cold temperatures caused damage to thyroid tissue. Also, warm and cold temperatures inhibited the degree of ossification with the double staining methodology. Additionally, the real-time PCR results suggested that warm and cold temperatures significantly up-regulated Runx2, VEGF and VEGFR mRNA levels, and down-regulated TRβ, MMP9, MMP13 and Runx3 mRNA levels. The up-regulation of Dio2 level and down-regulation of Dio3 level were observed in warm temperature. TRα mRNA level was significantly increased in warm temperature, but decreased in cold temperature. Collectively, these observations demonstrated that warm and cold temperatures affected endochondral ossification in B. gargarizans tadpoles, which might influence their capacity to terrestrial locomotion.

A comparison of stride parameters and carpal and tarsal joint angles during terrestrial and swimming locomotion in domestic dogs

In recent years, canine hydrotherapy has become increasingly popular to treat a range of conditions despite a lack of empirical evidence. It is currently unclear whether joint angles and limb movements performed by dogs during swimming are quantifiably beneficial for healthy animals. This study investigated the swimming kinematics of healthy dogs to establish baseline data for this activity and compare limb kinematics to that of overground locomotion. Kinematic data were recorded from eight healthy dolichocephalic dogs (mean age: 3.4±2.2) of a variety of breeds. Overground data were collected prior to swimming and consisted of dogs trotting on a flat surface. Swimming data were collected using an underwater camera during a standard hydrotherapy session conducted by a trained canine hydrotherapist. Range of motion, primarily due to an increase in flexion, was significantly greater (P<0.005) during swimming than trotting. Stride length (P<0.001) and frequency (P<0.005) were both significantly reduced in swimming compared to trot. Swimming kinematics recorded in this study are consistent with previously published data on canine aquatic locomotion but differ from those previously reported for water treadmill exercise. This study provides an insight into aquatic locomotion in healthy dogs indicating that range of motion exceeds that of terrestrial gaits. It is unclear whether these changes are beneficial for healthy animals and therefore further research is required to develop evidence-based protocols for industry practice.

Diversified and Untethered Motion Generation Via Crease Patterning from Magnetically Actuated Caterpillar-Inspired Origami Robot

Untethered annelids-inspired soft robots can be used in space-confined compliant interactions where remote actuation is necessary. In contrast to their fully-soft counterparts, incorporating origami concepts can streamline modeling and control while maintaining compliance. However, more comprehensive untethered locomotions from a single deployable robot remain research challenges, and there are only limited motion generation mechanisms available. This article presents the design and actuation of a caterpillar-inspired biomimetic origami robot prototype. We created an open triangular spring model by the programmable origami backbone for its stability and tunable elasticity. Remotely actuation with internal and external permanent magnets can achieve various types of origami terrestrial locomotion. The prototype can deform and compress up to 26.7% of its original length, and offer six different types of locomotion capabilities, demonstrating its versatility. A description of the design, programmable crease analysis, and actuation method of the robot is provided in this article. We further analyzed and demonstrated its various motion and functional capabilities and validated various performance parameters, such as speed and force bearing capabilities. The normalized velocity of the proposed prototype (0.10 to 0.15) is comparable to most of the speeds achieved by similar motions in other representative works as covered in the article, demonstrating that versatile motions can be achieved without sacrificing speed performance.

Body and Tail Coordination in the Bluespot Salamander (Ambystoma laterale) During Limb Regeneration.

Animals are incredibly good at adapting to changes in their environment, a trait envied by most roboticists. Many animals use different gaits to seamlessly transition between land and water and move through non-uniform terrains. In addition to adjusting to changes in their environment, animals can adjust their locomotion to deal with missing or regenerating limbs. Salamanders are an amphibious group of animals that can regenerate limbs, tails, and even parts of the spinal cord in some species. After the loss of a limb, the salamander successfully adjusts to constantly changing morphology as it regenerates the missing part. This quality is of particular interest to roboticists looking to design devices that can adapt to missing or malfunctioning components. While walking, an intact salamander uses its limbs, body, and tail to propel itself along the ground. Its body and tail are coordinated in a distinctive wave-like pattern. Understanding how their bending kinematics change as they regrow lost limbs would provide important information to roboticists designing amphibious machines meant to navigate through unpredictable and diverse terrain. We amputated both hindlimbs of blue-spotted salamanders (Ambystoma laterale) and measured their body and tail kinematics as the limbs regenerated. We quantified the change in the body wave over time and compared them to an amphibious fish species, Polypterus senegalus. We found that salamanders in the early stages of regeneration shift their kinematics, mostly around their pectoral girdle, where there is a local increase in undulation frequency. Amputated salamanders also show a reduced range of preferred walking speeds and an increase in the number of bending waves along the body. This work could assist roboticists working on terrestrial locomotion and water to land transitions.

A Mobile Mathieu Oscillator Model for Vibrational Locomotion of a Bristlebot

Abstract Terrestrial locomotion that is produced by creating and exploiting frictional anisotropy is common amongst animals such as snakes, gastropods, and limbless lizards. In this paper we present a model of a bristlebot that locomotes by generating frictional anisotropy due to the oscillatory motion of an internal mass and show that this is equivalent to a stick–slip Mathieu oscillator. Such vibrational robots have been available as toys and theoretical curiosities and have seen some applications such as the well-known kilobot and in pipe line inspection, but much remains unknown about this type of terrestrial locomotion. In this paper, motivated by a toy model of a bristlebot made from a toothbrush, we derive a theoretical model for its dynamics and show that its dynamics can be classified into four modes of motion: purely stick (no locomotion), slip, stick–slip, and hopping. In the stick mode, the dynamics of the system are those of a nonlinear Mathieu oscillator and large amplitude resonance oscillations lead to the slip mode of motion. The mode of motion depends on the amplitude and frequency of the periodic forcing. We compute a phase diagram that captures this behavior, which is reminiscent of the tongues of instability seen in a Mathieu oscillator. The broader result that emerges in this paper is that mobile limbless continuum or soft robots can exploit high-frequency parametric oscillations to generate fast and efficient terrestrial motion.

An assessment of the postcranial skeleton of the Paracolobus mutiwa (Primates: Colobinae) specimen KNM-WT 16827 from Lomekwi, West Turkana, Kenya

The postcranium of a large-bodied colobine monkey attributed to Paracolobus mutiwa from the site of Lomekwi, West Turkana, Kenya, is described. The partial skeleton (KNM-WT 16827) was recovered from locality LO 1, dated to 2.58–2.53 Ma, and preserves postcranial elements including fragments of scapula, humerus, proximal ulna, proximal radius, os coxae, proximal femur, astragalus, and calcaneus. KNM-WT 16827 was identified as P. mutiwa based on cranial similarities to the holotype female maxilla (KNM-ER 3843) and the holotype of Paracolobus chemeroni (KNM-BC 3), but is currently the only specimen of this taxon with associated cranial and postcranial elements. The skeleton is morphologically distinct from other large cercopithecid specimens from the Turkana Basin, including several assigned to Cercopithecoides williamsi, Cercopithecoides kimeui, Rhinocolobus turkanaensis, and Theropithecus oswaldi and differs from KNM-BC 3 in the larger cranium and shorter and more robust long bones. KNM-WT 16827 has forelimb and hindlimb features exhibiting a mixture of traits more associated with terrestrial locomotor behavior, including robust humeral deltoid tuberosity, retroflexed humeral medial epicondyle, deep ulnar trochlear notch, relatively short lower iliac height, prominent femoral greater trochanter, asymmetrical astragalar trochlea, and weak digit flexor grooves on the calcaneus. KNM-WT 16827 is also proportionally distinct from KNM-BC 3 and other Turkana Basin specimens attributed to large-bodied taxa such as C. williamsi, C. kimeui, R. turkanaensis, and T. oswaldi in having relatively shorter limbs and smaller tarsals. The traits shared with P. chemeroni and other extinct taxa are either typical for colobines, or likely due to P. mutiwa and P. chemeroni sharing adaptations for terrestrial locomotion relative to extant colobinans. Although a full cranial assessment is needed, based on its postcranial morphology KNM-WT 16827 is distinct from KNM-BC 3, C. williamsi, R. turkanaensis, Theropithecus, and extant colobines, warranting further analyses to better assess the taxonomic assignment of the specimen.

Ground reaction forces and muscle allometry in monitor lizards (Varanidae) with implications for the scaling of locomotion in sprawling tetrapods

Geometric scaling predicts a major constraint for legged, terrestrial locomotion. Locomotor support requirements scale isometrically with body mass (α M1), while force generation capacity should scale α M2/3 as it depends on cross-sectional area. Mammals compensate with more erect postures at larger sizes, but it remains unknown how sprawling tetrapods deal with this constraint. Varanid lizards are an ideal group to address this question because they cover an enormous body size range while maintaining similar posture and body proportions. This study reports the scaling of ground reaction forces and duty factor from varanid lizards ranging from 7-37,000 g. Impulses (α M0.96-1.34) and peak forces (α M0.72-0.98) scaled higher than expected. Duty factor scaled α M0.04 and was higher in the hindlimb than in the forelimb. The proportion of vertical impulse to total impulse increased with body size, and impulses decreased while peak forces increased with speed. Muscle parameters (fascicle length, muscle mass, and physiological cross-sectional area) were also found to scale with positive allometry in varanids, suggesting that varanid lizards respond to predicted biomechanical demands of increased body size with both anatomical and kinematic adjustments. Peak forces scale (> M2/3), suggesting that muscle and skeletal strength increases with positive allometry, but (< M1), suggesting that larger varanids also increase duty factor to spread body support over a longer period. These results provide insight into the biomechanics of extinct, sprawling megafauna.

Femoral mechanical performance of precocial and altricial birds: a simulation study

BackgroundAs the major load-bearing structures, bones exhibit various properties related to mechanical performance to adapt to different locomotor intensities. The habits and ontogenetic changes of locomotion in animals can, thus, be explored by assessing skeletal mechanical performance.MethodsIn this study, we investigated the growing femoral mechanical performance in an ontogenetic series of Cabot’s Tragopans (Tragopan caboti) and Pigeons (Columba livia domestica). Micro-computed tomography-based finite element analysis was conducted to evaluate the stress, strain, and strain energy density (SED) of femora under axial and radial loading.ResultsFemora deflected medio-laterally and dorso-ventrally under axial and radial loading, respectively. Femora deformed and tensed more severely under radial loading than axial loading. In adult individuals, Cabot’s Tragopans had lower strain and SED than pigeons. During ontogeny, the strain and SED of pigeons decreased sharply, while Cabot’s Tragopans showed moderately change. The structural properties of hatchling pigeons are more robust than those of hatchling Cabot’s Tragopans.ConclusionsLimb postures have dominant effect on skeletal deformation. The erect posture is preferred by large mammals and birds to achieve a high safety factor of bones during locomotion. Adult Cabot’s Tragopans have stronger femora than pigeons, reflecting a better bone adaption to the terrestrial locomotion of the studied pheasant species. Changes in strain and SED during growth reflect the marked difference in locomotor ability between precocial and altricial hatchlings. The femora of hatchling Cabot’s Tragopans were built with better energy efficiency than deformation resistance, enabling optimized mechanical performance. In contrast, although weak in mechanical function at the time of hatching, pigeon femora were suggested to be established with a more mature structural design as a prerequisite for rapid growth. These results will be helpful for studies regarding developmental patterns of fossil avian species.

Design and Modelling of an Amphibious Spherical Robot Attached with Assistant Fins

Mobile robots that can survive in unstructured wildernesses is essential in many applications such as environment detecting and security surveillance. In many of these applications, it is highly desirable that the robot can adapt robustly to both terrestrial environment and aquatic environment, and translocate swiftly between various environments. A novel concept of amphibious spherical robot with fins is proposed in this paper, capable of both terrestrial locomotion and aquatic locomotion. Unlike the traditional amphibious robots, whose motions are commonly induced by propellers, legs or snake-like tandem joints, the proposed amphibious spherical robot utilizes the rolling motion of a spherical shell as the principal locomotion mode in the aquatic environment. Moreover, spinning motion of the spherical shell is used to steer the spherical robot efficiently and agilely; several fins are attached to the outer spherical shell as an assistance to the rolling motion. These two motion modes, rolling and spinning, can be used unchangeably in the terrestrial environment, leading to a compact and highly adaptive design of the robot. The work introduced in this paper brings in an innovative solution for the design of an amphibious robot.