scholarly journals Trunk orientation causes asymmetries in leg function in small bird terrestrial locomotion

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1797) ◽  
pp. 20141405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuel Andrada ◽  
Christian Rode ◽  
Yefta Sutedja ◽  
John A. Nyakatura ◽  
Reinhard Blickhan

In contrast to the upright trunk in humans, trunk orientation in most birds is almost horizontal (pronograde). It is conceivable that the orientation of the heavy trunk strongly influences the dynamics of bipedal terrestrial locomotion. Here, we analyse for the first time the effects of a pronograde trunk orientation on leg function and stability during bipedal locomotion. For this, we first inferred the leg function and trunk control strategy applied by a generalized small bird during terrestrial locomotion by analysing synchronously recorded kinematic (three-dimensional X-ray videography) and kinetic (three-dimensional force measurement) quail locomotion data. Then, by simulating quail gaits using a simplistic bioinspired numerical model which made use of parameters obtained in in vivo experiments with real quail, we show that the observed asymmetric leg function (left-skewed ground reaction force and longer leg at touchdown than at lift-off) is necessary for pronograde steady-state locomotion. In addition, steady-state locomotion becomes stable for specific morphological parameters. For quail-like parameters, the most common stable solution is grounded running, a gait preferred by quail and most of the other small birds. We hypothesize that stability of bipedal locomotion is a functional demand that, depending on trunk orientation and centre of mass location, constrains basic hind limb morphology and function, such as leg length, leg stiffness and leg damping.

2006 ◽  
Vol 326-328 ◽  
pp. 871-874
Author(s):  
Hyeon Ki Choi ◽  
Min Jwa Seo ◽  
Ja Choon Koo ◽  
Hyeon Chang Choi ◽  
Won Hak Cho

We assessed the effects of muscle forces on ankle joint kinetics during postural balance control of human boy. Nine male subjects (mean age of 25.8 yrs) participated in the experiment. An ankle joint model assumed ball and socket joint was used, which was capable of three dimensional rotations. A six-camera VICON system was used for motion analysis. Waist pulling system and force platform were adopted for forward sway and GRF (ground reaction force) measurement. We used linear optimization programs to calculate the variation of muscle forces and angular displacements of shank and foot segments. With the experimental data and linear programs, we could calculate joint reaction forces, and bone-on-bone forces. The results presented in this study give us the insights to understand the roles of lower limb muscles during postural balance control and ankle injury mechanism.


2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Yintao ◽  
Luo Yiwen ◽  
Miao Yiming ◽  
Chai Delong ◽  
Feng Xijin

ABSTRACT: This article focuses on steel cord deformation and force investigation within heavy-duty radial tires. Typical bending deformation and tension force distributions of steel reinforcement within a truck bus radial (TBR) tire have been obtained, and they provide useful input for the local scale modeling of the steel cord. The three-dimensional carpet plots of the cord force distribution within a TBR tire are presented. The carcass-bending curvature is derived from the deformation of the carcass center line. A high-efficiency modeling approach for layered multistrand cord structures has been developed that uses cord design variables such as lay angle, lay length, and radius of the strand center line as input. Several types of steel cord have been modeled using the developed method as an example. The pure tension for two cords and the combined tension bending under various loading conditions relevant to tire deformation have been simulated by a finite element analysis (FEA). Good agreement has been found between experimental and FEA-determined tension force-displacement curves, and the characteristic structural and plastic deformation phases have been revealed by the FE simulation. Furthermore, some interesting local stress and deformation patterns under combined tension and bending are found that have not been previously reported. In addition, an experimental cord force measurement approach is included in this article.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chanho Moon ◽  
Kotaro Yamasaki ◽  
Yoshihiko Nagashima ◽  
Shigeru Inagaki ◽  
Takeshi Ido ◽  
...  

AbstractA tomography system is installed as one of the diagnostics of new age to examine the three-dimensional characteristics of structure and dynamics including fluctuations of a linear magnetized helicon plasma. The system is composed of three sets of tomography components located at different axial positions. Each tomography component can measure the two-dimensional emission profile over the entire cross-section of plasma at different axial positions in a sufficient temporal scale to detect the fluctuations. The four-dimensional measurement including time and space successfully obtains the following three results that have never been found without three-dimensional measurement: (1) in the production phase, the plasma front propagates from the antenna toward the end plate with an ion acoustic velocity. (2) In the steady state, the plasma emission profile is inhomogeneous, and decreases along the axial direction in the presence of the azimuthal asymmetry. Furthermore, (3) in the steady state, the fluctuations should originate from a particular axial position located downward from the helicon antenna.


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