Articles tagged with Locomotion
DirectHop, a 1-gram robot, can perform multiple hops in sequence and jump high enough to clear a standard stair step with single centimeter accuracy. The robot uses a tiny electric motor and three folding legs to launch itself to a specified jump height, and can twitch to right itself after landing for another jump.
Researchers analyzed shark vertebrae to discover a finely engineered biomechanical system supporting strength, flexibility, and swimming efficiency. Different species evolved unique internal structures reflecting their varied swimming strategies.
A new video game, 'Run FoVE your life,' simulates high-intensity movement dynamics and energetics of cheetah chases, incorporating real movement data from human athletes in chase-tag games. The game aims to further understanding of fatigue and movement decision-making in life-or-death encounters.
Researchers found that most people prefer counterclockwise motion when turning, with age being the only factor that affects this bias. The study could impact our understanding of brain function and fields like design, engineering, and architecture.
Researchers developed a 'walking fish' robot that mimics modern fish's ability to walk on land, and computer models showed similar modes of locomotion across several unrelated species. This undulating tripod gait is one of life's most ancient solutions to escaping predators or moving habitats.
A team of researchers from The University of Osaka used supercomputer simulations to study how vortices generated by dolphin kicks power fast swimming. They found that large, powerful vortices created by the movement of the dolphin's tail are responsible for most of the propulsion, while smaller ones contribute little to forward motion.
In a breakthrough study, researchers successfully integrated neuronal precursor cells into biobots, resulting in the formation of functional nervous systems. This development has significant implications for neuroscience, bioengineering, and regenerative medicine, enabling the investigation of fundamental questions about the origin of ...
Researchers found that participants initially overestimated the awkwardness of their gait but improved as they practiced using the prosthetic device. Despite significant performance gains, participants remained inaccurate in assessing their own body movement, focusing on torso position rather than prosthetic behavior.
A recent study using Drosophila as a model organism reveals the involvement of linear ubiquitination in T-tubule biogenesis. The findings highlight LUBEL's role in triggering Amph-mediated T-tubule formation, which promotes membrane tubulation and curvature through self-ubiquitination and positive feedback loops.
A team of anthropologists offers powerful evidence that Sahelanthropus tchadensis, a seven-million-year-old fossil, was bipedal. The analysis confirmed the presence of traits essential for walking upright, including a femoral tubercle and gluteal muscles. This finding suggests that bipedalism evolved early in our lineage.
A new international study identifies several protein families potentially involved in bone remodeling and highlights their role in shaping bone structures through mechanoadaptation. The study sheds light on the evolutionary mechanisms behind bone mechanoadaptation and its relation to locomotion patterns such as bipedalism.
Researchers discovered that woodpeckers brace their head, neck, abdomen, and tail muscles to hold their bodies rigid while pounding on wood. The birds synchronize their breathing with each impact, like ace tennis stars grunting noisily to stabilize core muscles.
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba identified a peptide hormone called Capa that regulates calcium levels in fruit flies. The study found that Capa is secreted by specific neurons and acts on organs similar to vertebrate kidneys to mobilize calcium from stored reserves.
A recent study from Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences uses wearable sensor technology and machine learning to estimate ground-reaction forces in runners. This data can provide insights into performance and injury, enabling the development of devices that deliver real-time feedback to users.
A recent study published in Integrative and Comparative Biology found that bonnethead sharks' skin undergoes significant changes as they mature, with younger sharks having fewer ridges on their denticles. These changes likely improve swimming performance and protect the skin from predators or injuries.
Researchers discovered that proprioceptive nerve cells for sensing leg motion are deactivated during active movement in fruit flies. This selective suppression may enable the insect to quickly respond to sudden external events. The study advances basic scientific knowledge of sensory feedback and its application to clinical treatments
A new study by Florida Atlantic University reveals that every arm is capable of performing all action types, with front arms mainly used for exploration and back arms supporting movement. Octopuses demonstrated remarkable flexibility, showcasing complex motor control.
A new study finds that sargassum seaweed can significantly slow down sea turtle hatchlings in Florida, increasing their risk of predation and heat exposure. Researchers found that even small amounts of sargassum can impede hatchlings' progress, with leatherbacks taking 54% longer to crawl through light sargassum.
Researchers developed a snake-inspired soft robot (ICSBot) that leverages diverse locomotion modes to navigate complex environments and handle objects with high flexibility. The ICSBot's design offers new possibilities for creating adaptive robotic systems inspired by nature, enabling enhanced performance and autonomy.
Researchers at OIST introduce a mouse motion capture method using marker-based approach to track high-quality data on complex movements. The method avoids pitfalls associated with smaller animals, enabling detailed studies of neuroscientific and physiological foundations of mouse movement.
Northern Arizona University researchers have developed an open-source robotic exoskeleton framework, OpenExo, which provides comprehensive instructions for building single- or multi-joint exoskeletons. The system helps overcome challenges in developing biomechanically beneficial and technologically advanced exoskeletons.
A study by the CSIC-UMH Institute of Neurosciences uncovers how flies' flight stabilizers, the halteres, take shape. The structure is stabilized by a sophisticated cellular system that connects its two surfaces through an internal framework.
A team of scientists simulated the movement of microorganisms in liquids without a central control system. They found that simple rules and decentralized control can lead to efficient swimming behavior, potentially enabling nanobots to transport drugs or perform other complex tasks.
Researchers found a single young adult Paranthropus robustus fossil with evidence of habitual upright walking, weighing only about a meter tall and 27 kg at death. The species' small size made it vulnerable to predators like sabertooth cats and giant hyenas.
Researchers at Sainsbury Wellcome Centre develop novel experimental setup called Translocator, isolating fundamental elements of locomotion and motion-source separation. The team finds that individual cells in primary visual cortex use motor and vestibular signals to determine visual flow origin.
A team of biologists and mathematicians from the University of Oxford and Manchester have solved the mystery of the squirting cucumber's explosive seed dispersal. The study used a combination of experiments, high-speed videography, image analysis, and mathematical modeling to reveal the key components of the plant's dispersal strategy.
Researchers at Princeton University developed a new technology inspired by bird feathers, which improves flight performance and prevents stalling. The covert-inspired flaps deploy in response to changes in airflow, offering an inexpensive and lightweight method to increase flight performance without complex machinery.
A new study published in Science Advances provides insights into the complex and nonlinear transition of mammal evolution from sprawled to upright posture. Researchers used cutting-edge methods to analyze fossil data and biomechanical modeling, revealing that locomotor performance peaked and dipped over millions of years.
Study reveals the brain controls leg coordination during walking only when discoordination exceeds a certain threshold. Researchers found that not actively intervening improves energy efficiency and maneuverability.
Researchers have discovered that sunflowers wiggle to find patches of sunlight, forming a zig-zag pattern that maximizes access to light. This movement allows the plant to explore its surroundings and settle into configurations that provide maximum light exposure.
Researchers found that turkey vultures flying at higher altitudes are generally flying 1m/s faster than those at lower elevations due to reduced drag. By flying faster, these birds can compensate for the lack of lift caused by thin air, allowing them to remain aloft in challenging conditions.
Researchers discovered cyanobacteria start bending at around 150 micrometres, revealing a natural tipping point for movement adaptation. This finding has implications for biotechnology applications, such as biofuel production and adaptive biomaterials.
Researchers studied the dolphin-kick swimming motion and found that water flow velocity increases with speed, generating a strong vortex during kicking. Recycling of flow is also observed during transitions between kicks, becoming more pronounced as speed increases.
A study published in Nature Communications found that the fastest animals are medium-sized, like cheetahs, due to a physical limit imposed by muscle contraction speed and shortening. This sweet spot size of around 50kg enables animals to reach speeds of up to 65 miles per hour
Researchers have successfully engineered a soft robotic replica of a 450-million-year-old marine organism, pleurocystitid, to better understand its biomechanical factors and locomotion. The study introduces the field of Paleobionics, which uses Softbotics to explore evolution and animal design.
A US study found that increasing nest temperatures affects leatherback hatchling morphology, performance and hatching success. Mid-season nests had the highest hatching success and better physical performance.
Researchers at CityU and HKUMed developed genetically modified human neural stem cells that promote neural circuit reconstruction, reduce glial scar accumulation, and enhance axon outgrowth. The therapy demonstrates potential for treating severe spinal cord injuries with functional recovery.
Researchers found that cells store extra 'skin' in folds and bumps on their surface to rapidly deploy temporary protrusions. This allows cells to move safely while maintaining cell volume and membrane integrity.
A species of jumping spider employs two lines of defense to avoid being eaten: camouflaging with plants and walking like an ant. The spiders' brilliant coloration also plays a role in their ability to blend in with their environment.
Tiny California blackworms tangle themselves to perform biological functions, but can untangle in mere milliseconds. Researchers have discovered the mathematics behind this process, revealing how helical gaits and topological principles enable the worms' superpower.
A new VR locomotion system, Seamless-walk, offers a natural and comfortable experience without equipment or body pose recording. It uses high-resolution foot pressure imprints and machine learning to estimate the user's direction and movement speed.
Researchers found that older adults who are comfortable traveling short distances have higher risks of functional disability and mortality. A study in Japan linked acceptable walking and cycling distances to future health outcomes, providing valuable insights for policymakers and researchers.
Researchers have discovered a newly found protein, CTENO189, that controls the unique locomotion of comb jellies. The protein is essential for the rippling movement of their comb plates, which propels them through the water.
Researchers used small wheeled robots to study indirect mechanical interactions on deformable surfaces, finding that active matter can interact through non-contact forces. They created a model to control collective behavior by modifying robot design, mirroring celestial bodies' paths in Einstein's General Relativity.
Researchers used 3D modeling and engineering to digitally reconstruct the function of foot bones in sauropods, discovering a soft tissue pad beneath the heel that cushioned the foot to absorb weight. This finding confirms a long-suspected idea and provides biomechanical evidence for how sauropods supported their enormous weight on land.
Researchers successfully taught microrobots to swim via deep reinforcement learning, allowing them to adapt to changing conditions and perform complex maneuvers. The AI-powered swimmers can navigate toward any target location on their own, showcasing their robust performance in fluid flows and uncontrolled environments.
Researchers at UNO and UNL are using machine learning to investigate the metabolic cost of different phases of the gait cycle across different age groups. The goal is to create practical applications for gait rehabilitation, such as designing improved assistive devices.
Researchers discovered that wandering salamanders, living in redwoods, have developed aerial behaviors to avoid predators, including parachuting and gliding. They are able to maintain control and make horizontal maneuvers, defying expectations of their sluggish nature.
Researchers found that the nervous system explores multiple coordination patterns to learn new movements, then adapts specific aspects for optimal performance. This process reduces energy cost by up to 25%.
A team of scientists has discovered a bi-directional neural network connecting the legs and visual system in fruit flies, enabling them to walk while tracking their steps. The study reveals that this network supports walking on two different timescales simultaneously.
Free-ranging dairy cows exhibit unique natural behaviors, taking more daily steps than penned cattle. A comparison study found penned cattle take half as many daily steps in modern cubicle housing without access to pasture.
Scientists discovered that animals likely evolved asymmetric gaits 472 million years ago, with evidence of crutching and bounding in ancient fish and crocodiles. The study suggests that many modern species have lost this ability due to evolution or size constraints.
Researchers developed a fully autonomous biohybrid fish from human stem-cell derived cardiac muscle cells that recreates the muscle contractions of a pumping heart. The device has two layers of muscle cells that work together to propel the fish for over 100 days.
Researchers from Rice University and the University of Wyoming discovered self-organization into circular aggregates in Myxococcus xanthus, a model system for social cooperation. The circular behavior is linked to TraAB protein overexpression, which creates a sticky bond between cells, preventing reversals.
A new study published in Scientific Reports found that lack of sleep affects gait control, with students who stayed awake all night performing poorly. However, those who compensated for lost sleep by catching up on weekends showed improved walking control.
Researchers at Beijing Institute of Technology created a robot that can track fast-moving rats for extended periods using real-time localization and movement analysis. The robotic rat's built-in stereo vision system enables it to characterize typical behaviors of actual rats, promoting autonomy and reproducibility in behavior research.
Researchers used fruit flies in a virtual reality setting to show that vision influences body movements by tuning postural adjustments as a preventative measure. Without vision, the limb control systems respond to balance and posture perturbations, but when vision is available, the behavioral goal of walking straight takes precedence.
Researchers found that tardigrades move with a strategy similar to that of larger insects, walking in a manner that is 500,000 times more efficient. This discovery raises possibilities for understanding evolutionary biology and designing soft robots.
Researchers from UC Berkeley studied squirrels' ability to leap and land successfully to develop more agile robots. They found that squirrels assess their biomechanical abilities based on branch flexibility and gap distance, allowing them to adjust their strategies with minimal attempts.
Researchers found that high-dose gait training using a robotic exoskeleton can restore functional ambulation in individuals with moderate to severe hemiplegia caused by stroke. The study showed improvements in walking distance, speed, balance, and endurance, with no complications or falls reported.