scholarly journals Human-like external function of the foot, and fully upright gait, confirmed in the 3.66 million year old Laetoli hominin footprints by topographic statistics, experimental footprint-formation and computer simulation

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (69) ◽  
pp. 707-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin H. Crompton ◽  
Todd C. Pataky ◽  
Russell Savage ◽  
Kristiaan D'Août ◽  
Matthew R. Bennett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Foot Pressure ◽  
Human Foot ◽  
Simulation Techniques ◽  
Force Transfer ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
Early Human ◽  
Computer Simulation Techniques

It is commonly held that the major functional features of the human foot (e.g. a functional longitudinal medial arch, lateral to medial force transfer and hallucal (big-toe) push-off) appear only in the last 2 Myr, but functional interpretations of footbones and footprints of early human ancestors (hominins) prior to 2 million years ago (Mya) remain contradictory. Pixel-wise topographical statistical analysis of Laetoli footprint morphology, compared with results from experimental studies of footprint formation; foot-pressure measurements in bipedalism of humans and non-human great apes; and computer simulation techniques, indicate that most of these functional features were already present, albeit less strongly expressed than in ourselves, in the maker of the Laetoli G-1 footprint trail, 3.66 Mya. This finding provides strong support to those previous studies which have interpreted the G-1 prints as generally modern in aspect.

Three-dimensional predator–prey interactions: a computer simulation of bird flocks and aircraft

1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (11) ◽  
pp. 2624-2633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter F. Major ◽  
Lawrence M. Dill ◽  
David M. Eaves
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Aircraft Engine ◽  
Aquatic Environments ◽  
Aircraft Engines ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Simulation Techniques ◽  
Computer Simulation Techniques ◽  
Individual Prey

Three-dimensional interactions between grouped aerial predators (frontal discs of aircraft engines), either linearly arrayed or clustered, and flocks of small birds were studied using interactive computer simulation techniques. Each predator modelled was orders of magnitude larger than an individual prey, but the prey flock was larger than each predator. Expected numbers of individual prey captured from flocks were determined for various predator speeds and trajectories, flock–predator initial distances and angles, and flock sizes, shapes, densities, trajectories, and speeds. Generally, larger predators and clustered predators caught more prey. The simulation techniques employed in this study may also prove useful in studies of predator–prey interactions between schools or swarms of small aquatic prey species and their much larger vertebrate predators, such as mysticete cetaceans.The study also provides a method to study problems associated with turbine aircraft engine damage caused by the ingestion of small flocking birds, as well as net sampling of organisms in open aquatic environments.

Discussion of computer simulation techniques and comparison of languages

SIMULATION ◽  
1967 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 181-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Tiechroew ◽  
John Francis Lubin ◽  
Thomas D. Truitt
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Graduate School ◽  
University Of Pennsylvania ◽  
Computer Languages ◽  
Simulation Techniques ◽  
Simulation Languages ◽  
Software Packages ◽  
Univer Sity ◽  
Computer Simulation Techniques

A draft of this paper was prepared for the Workshop on Simu lation Languages, Graduate School of Business, Stanford Univer sity, March 6 and 7, 1964. The paper has benefited from sugges tions from participants at the Workshop, particularly Michael Montalbano, and from projects carried out by students in the Graduate School of Business: H. Barnett, H. Guichelaar, Lloyd Krause, John P. Seagel, Charles Turk, Victor Preisser. The paper has also benefited from discussions held in connection with the Workshop on Simulation Languages, University of Pennsylvania, March 17 and 18, 1966. Characteristics of computer languages and software packages change rapidly. Some statements in the paper were originally intended for the situation current in March, 1964. Where signifi cant changes have occurred the text has been modified.

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