Wave Characteristics of Olympic Breaststroke Swimmers

1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross H. Sanders ◽  
Jane M. Cappaert ◽  
David L. Pease
Keyword(s):  
Fourier Analysis ◽  
Large Range ◽  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Waves ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Small Range ◽  
Wave Characteristics ◽  
Butterfly Stroke

The purpose of this study was to investigate the wave characteristics of breaststroke swimming. Particular emphasis was accorded the question of whether modern breast-stroke is "flylike" (referring to the butterfly stroke) and whether "waves" travel along the body during the breaststroke cycle. Selected body landmarks and the center of mass (CM) of 8 Olympic breaststroke swimmers were quantified. Fourier analysis was conducted to determine the amplitude, frequency composition, and phase characteristics of the vertical undulations of the vertex of the head, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. The differences in phase between these landmarks for the first (HI) and second (H2) Fourier frequencies were investigated to establish whether body waves traveled in a caudal direction. While the motion of the upper body was somewhat flylike, the velocity of the HI wave from the hips to ankles was variable among subjects and, for all subjects, was too slow to be propulsive. Contrary to what one would expect, the range of vertical motion of the CM was inversely related to the range of hip vertical motion. The two highest placing subjects, based on preliminary heat times (SI and S4), were distinguished by a large range of hip vertical motion and a small range of CM vertical motion.

scholarly journals Effect of Leg Dominance on The Center-of-Mass Kinematics During an Inside-of-the-Foot Kick in Amateur Soccer Players

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Zago ◽  
Andrea Francesco Motta ◽  
Andrea Mapelli ◽  
Isabella Annoni ◽  
Christel Galvani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Movement ◽  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
The Body ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Movement Velocity ◽  
Ground Support ◽  
Analysis System

Abstract Soccer kicking kinematics has received wide interest in literature. However, while the instep-kick has been broadly studied, only few researchers investigated the inside-of-the-foot kick, which is one of the most frequently performed techniques during games. In particular, little knowledge is available about differences in kinematics when kicking with the preferred and non-preferred leg. A motion analysis system recorded the three-dimensional coordinates of reflective markers placed upon the body of nine amateur soccer players (23.0 ± 2.1 years, BMI 22.2 ± 2.6 kg/m2), who performed 30 pass-kicks each, 15 with the preferred and 15 with the non-preferred leg. We investigated skill kinematics while maintaining a perspective on the complete picture of movement, looking for laterality related differences. The main focus was laid on: anatomical angles, contribution of upper limbs in kick biomechanics, kinematics of the body Center of Mass (CoM), which describes the whole body movement and is related to balance and stability. When kicking with the preferred leg, CoM displacement during the ground-support phase was 13% higher (p<0.001), normalized CoM height was 1.3% lower (p<0.001) and CoM velocity 10% higher (p<0.01); foot and shank velocities were about 5% higher (p<0.01); arms were more abducted (p<0.01); shoulders were rotated more towards the target (p<0.01, 6° mean orientation difference). We concluded that differences in motor control between preferred and non-preferred leg kicks exist, particularly in the movement velocity and upper body kinematics. Coaches can use these results to provide effective instructions to players in the learning process, moving their focus on kicking speed and upper body behavior

scholarly journals Stepping in the direction of the fall: the next foot placement can be predicted from current upper body state in steady-state walking

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 20140405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Wang ◽  
Manoj Srinivasan
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Linear Function ◽  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Step Length ◽  
The Body ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Significant Information ◽  
Foot Placement ◽  
Body State ◽  
Foot Position

During human walking, perturbations to the upper body can be partly corrected by placing the foot appropriately on the next step. Here, we infer aspects of such foot placement dynamics using step-to-step variability over hundreds of steps of steady-state walking data. In particular, we infer dependence of the ‘next’ foot position on upper body state at different phases during the ‘current’ step. We show that a linear function of the hip position and velocity state (approximating the body center of mass state) during mid-stance explains over 80% of the next lateral foot position variance, consistent with (but not proving) lateral stabilization using foot placement. This linear function implies that a rightward pelvic deviation during a left stance results in a larger step width and smaller step length than average on the next foot placement. The absolute position on the treadmill does not add significant information about the next foot relative to current stance foot over that already available in the pelvis position and velocity. Such walking dynamics inference with steady-state data may allow diagnostics of stability and inform biomimetic exoskeleton or robot design.

Behavioral Control

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman I. Badler ◽  
Cary B. Phillips ◽  
Bonnie Lynn Webber
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Control ◽  
Center Of Mass ◽  
The Body ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Natural State ◽  
Articulated Figures ◽  
Computational Environment ◽  
Simple Set ◽  
Human Figure ◽  
The Individual

The behaviors constitute a powerful vocabulary for postural control. The manipulation commands provide the stimuli; the behaviors determine the response. The rationale for using behavioral animation is its economy of description: a simple input from the user can generate very complex and realistic motion. By defining a simple set of rules for how objects behave, the user can control the objects through a much more intuitive and efficient language because much of the motion is generated automatically. Several systems have used the notion of behaviors to describe and generate motion [Zel91]. The most prominent of this work is by Craig Reynolds, who used the notion of behavior models to generate animations of flocks of birds and schools of fish [Rey87]. The individual birds and fish operate using a simple set of rules which tell them how to react to the movement of the neighboring animals and the features of the environment. Some global parameters also guide the movement of the entire flock. William Reeves used the same basic idea but applied it very small inanimate objects, and he dubbed the result particle systems [Ree83]. Behaviors have also been applied to articulated figures. McKenna and Zeltzer [MPZ90] describe a computational environment for simulating virtual actors, principally designed to simulate an insect (a cockroach in particular) for animation purposes. Most of the action of the roach is in walking, and a gait controller generates the walking motion. Reflexes can modify the basic gait patterns. The stepping reflex triggers a leg to step if its upper body rotates beyond a certain angle. The load bearing reflex inhibits stepping if the leg is supporting the body. The over-reach reflex triggers a leg to move if it becomes over-extended. The system uses inverse kinematics to position the legs. Jack controls bipedal locomotion in a similar fashion (Section 5), but for now we focus on simpler though dramatically important postural behaviors. The human figure in its natural state has constraints on its toes, heels, knees, pelvis, center of mass, hands, elbows, head and eyes. They correspond loosely to the columns of the staff in Labanotation, which designate the different parts of the body.

Pacific lamprey climbing behavior

2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (11) ◽  
pp. 1264-1272 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. G. Reinhardt ◽  
L. Eidietis ◽  
S. E. Friedl ◽  
M. L. Moser
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
The Body ◽  
Stage Iii ◽  
Flow Volume ◽  
Pacific Lamprey ◽  
Climbing Behavior ◽  
Inflection Points ◽  
Burst Swimming

New lamprey-friendly fishways feature inclined ramps that facilitate passage of Pacific lampreys ( Lampetra tridentata (Richardson, 1836)) over Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, USA. We observed the lampreys moving against water at two flow volumes and on two ramps of 45° and 18° angles relative to horizontal. We documented climbing movements using high-speed video (125 frames/s). Lampreys advanced on the ramps by repeated cycles of attaching to the ramps by their sucker mouths (resting phase), bending their bodies into a W shape (stage II), and then, rapidly straightening the body to propel themselves up the ramp, with simultaneous brief (20–140 ms) release of suction (stage III). We inferred that lampreys were using burst swimming to propel themselves up the ramp, because we observed inflection points in the body curvature traveling toward the posterior of the body and the center of mass moving up, during stage III. This climbing behavior is not described for any other fish species. Vertical motion, relative to the ground, during each cycle of movement was greatest in the 45° ramp – low water flow volume treatment (mean of 0.07 L/cycle), but the movement upstream along the ramp plane was greatest on the 18° ramp, regardless of flow volume. These findings can be used to develop ramp designs that maximize lamprey climbing performance.

Frequency modulation of body waves to improve performance of sidewinding robots

2021 ◽  
pp. 027836492110377
Author(s):  
Baxi Chong ◽  
Tianyu Wang ◽  
Jennifer M. Rieser ◽  
Bo Lin ◽  
Abdul Kaba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Center Of Mass ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Waves ◽  
Contact Pattern ◽  
Body Frame ◽  
Improve Performance ◽  
Horizontal Wave ◽  
Terrestrial Environments ◽  
Unstable Oscillation ◽  
Locomotor Behaviors

Sidewinding is a form of locomotion executed by certain snakes and has been reconstructed in limbless robots; the gait is beneficial because it is effective in diverse terrestrial environments. Sidewinding gaits are generated by coordination of horizontal and vertical traveling waves of body undulation: the horizontal wave largely sets the direction of sidewinding with respect to the body frame while the vertical traveling wave largely determines the contact pattern between the body and the environment. When the locomotor’s center of mass leaves the supporting polygon formed by the contact pattern, undesirable locomotor behaviors (such as unwanted turning or unstable oscillation of the body) can occur. In this article, we develop an approach to generate desired translation and turning by modulating the vertical wave. These modulations alter the distribution of body–environment contact patches and can stabilize configurations that were previously statically unstable. The approach first identifies the spatial frequency of the vertical wave that statically stabilizes the locomotor for a given horizontal wave. Then, using geometric mechanics tools, we design the coordination between body waves that produces the desired translation or rotation. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our technique in numerical simulations and on experiments with a 16-joint limbless robot locomoting on flat hard ground. Our scheme broadens the range of movements and behaviors accessible to sidewinding locomotors at low speeds, which can lead to limbless systems capable of traversing diverse terrain stably and/or rapidly.

On the motion of bodies based on changes in the kinetic moment

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 267-275
Author(s):  
Yury N. Razoumny ◽  
Sergei A. Kupreev
Keyword(s):  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Stellar Dynamics ◽  
Elementary Particles ◽  
The Body ◽  
Accelerated Motion ◽  
Indirect Confirmation ◽  
Physical Principles ◽  
Two Bodies ◽  
Central Gravitational Field ◽  
Kinetic Moment

The controlled motion of a body in a central gravitational field without mass flow is considered. The possibility of moving the body in the radial direction from the center of attraction due to changes in the kinetic moment relative to the center of mass of the body is shown. A scheme for moving the body using a system of flywheels located in the same plane in near-circular orbits with different heights is proposed. The use of the spin of elementary particles is considered as flywheels. It is proved that using the spin of elementary particles with a Compton wavelength exceeding the distance to the attracting center is energetically more profitable than using the momentum of these particles to move the body. The calculation of motion using hypothetical particles (gravitons) is presented. A hypothesis has been put forward about the radiation of bodies during accelerated motion, which finds indirect confirmation in stellar dynamics and in an experiment with the fall of two bodies in a vacuum. The results can be used in experiments to search for elementary particles with low energy, explain cosmic phenomena and to develop transport objects on new physical principles.

scholarly journals Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of a Body Weight Support System

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Zhendong Song ◽  
Wei Chen ◽  
Wenbing Wang ◽  
Guoqing Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Control Process ◽  
Vertical Motion ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Weight Support ◽  
Gait Rehabilitation ◽  
Series Elastic Actuator ◽  
Weight Support ◽  
Support Force ◽  
Body Weight Support System

This paper proposes a body weight support (BWS) system with a series elastic actuator (SEA) to facilitate walking assistance and motor relearning during gait rehabilitation. This system comprises the following: a mobile platform that ensures movement of the system on the ground, a BWS mechanism with an SEA that is capable of providing the desired unloading force, and a pelvic brace to smooth the pelvis motions. The control of the body weight support is realized by an active weight-offload method, and a dynamic model of the BWS system with offload mass of a human is conducted to simulate the control process and optimize the parameters. Preliminary results demonstrate that the BWS system can provide the desired support force and vertical motion of the pelvis.

scholarly journals Wrist-wearable bioelectrical impedance analyzer with miniature electrodes for daily obesity management

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Myoung Hoon Jung ◽  
Kak Namkoong ◽  
Yeolho Lee ◽  
Young Jun Koh ◽  
Kunsun Eom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contact Resistance ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Bioelectrical Impedance ◽  
The Body ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Clinical Test ◽  
Obesity Management ◽  
Impedance Analyzer ◽  
Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzer

AbstractBioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is used to analyze human body composition by applying a small alternating current through the body and measuring the impedance. The smaller the electrode of a BIA device, the larger the impedance measurement error due to the contact resistance between the electrode and human skin. Therefore, most commercial BIA devices utilize electrodes that are large enough (i.e., 4 × 1400 mm2) to counteract the contact resistance effect. We propose a novel method of compensating for contact resistance by performing 4-point and 2-point measurements alternately such that body impedance can be accurately estimated even with considerably smaller electrodes (outer electrodes: 68 mm2; inner electrodes: 128 mm2). Additionally, we report the use of a wrist-wearable BIA device with single-finger contact measurement and clinical test results from 203 participants at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital. The correlation coefficient and standard error of estimate of percentage body fat were 0.899 and 3.76%, respectively, in comparison with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. This result exceeds the performance level of the commercial upper-body portable body fat analyzer (Omron HBF-306). With a measurement time of 7 s, this sensor technology is expected to provide a new possibility of a wearable bioelectrical impedance analyzer, toward obesity management.

scholarly journals Slithering CSF: Cerebrospinal Fluid Dynamics in the Stationary and Moving Viper Boa, Candoia aspera

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 672
Author(s):  
Bruce A. Young ◽  
Skye Greer ◽  
Michael Cramberg
Keyword(s):  
Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽  
Cardiac Cycle ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Mean Amplitude ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Waves ◽  
Lower Amplitude ◽  
Lateral Undulation ◽  
Recovery From Anesthesia ◽  
The Relationship

In the viper boa (Candoia aspera), the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shows two stable overlapping patterns of pulsations: low-frequency (0.08 Hz) pulses with a mean amplitude of 4.1 mmHg that correspond to the ventilatory cycle, and higher-frequency (0.66 Hz) pulses with a mean amplitude of 1.2 mmHg that correspond to the cardiac cycle. Manual oscillations of anesthetized C. aspera induced propagating sinusoidal body waves. These waves resulted in a different pattern of CSF pulsations with frequencies corresponding to the displacement frequency of the body and with amplitudes greater than those of the cardiac or ventilatory cycles. After recovery from anesthesia, the snakes moved independently using lateral undulation and concertina locomotion. The episodes of lateral undulation produced similar influences on the CSF pressure as were observed during the manual oscillations, though the induced CSF pulsations were of lower amplitude during lateral undulation. No impact on the CSF was found while C. aspera was performing concertina locomotion. The relationship between the propagation of the body and the CSF pulsations suggests that the body movements produce an impulse on the spinal CSF.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document