Tunable stiffness enables fast and efficient swimming in fish-like robots

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (57) ◽  
pp. eabe4088
Author(s):  
Q. Zhong ◽  
J. Zhu ◽  
F. E. Fish ◽  
S. J. Kerr ◽  
A. M. Downs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Swimming Speed ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Muscle Tension ◽  
Robotic Fish ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Swimming Efficiency ◽  
Tuning Strategy ◽  
Tunable Stiffness

Fish maintain high swimming efficiencies over a wide range of speeds. A key to this achievement is their flexibility, yet even flexible robotic fish trail real fish in terms of performance. Here, we explore how fish leverage tunable flexibility by using their muscles to modulate the stiffness of their tails to achieve efficient swimming. We derived a model that explains how and why tuning stiffness affects performance. We show that to maximize efficiency, muscle tension should scale with swimming speed squared, offering a simple tuning strategy for fish-like robots. Tuning stiffness can double swimming efficiency at tuna-like frequencies and speeds (0 to 6 hertz; 0 to 2 body lengths per second). Energy savings increase with frequency, suggesting that high-frequency fish-like robots have the most to gain from tuning stiffness.

scholarly journals Assessing evidence for adaptive evolution in two hearing-related genes important for high-frequency hearing in echolocating mammals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Wang ◽  
Hanbo Zhao ◽  
Yujia Chu ◽  
Jiang Feng ◽  
Keping Sun
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Evolution ◽  
Hair Cells ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Outer Hair Cells ◽  
Functional Domain ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Selective Pressures ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Different Parts

Abstract High-frequency hearing is particularly important for echolocating bats and toothed whales. Previously, studies of the hearing-related genes Prestin, KCNQ4, and TMC1 documented that adaptive evolution of high-frequency hearing has taken place in echolocating bats and toothed whales. In this study, we present two additional candidate hearing-related genes, Shh and SK2, that may also have contributed to the evolution of echolocation in mammals. Shh is a member of the vertebrate Hedgehog gene family and is required in the specification of the mammalian cochlea. SK2 is expressed in both inner and outer hair cells, and it plays an important role in the auditory system. The coding region sequences of Shh and SK2 were obtained from a wide range of mammals with and without echolocating ability. The topologies of phylogenetic trees constructed using Shh and SK2 were different; however, multiple molecular evolutionary analyses showed that those two genes experienced different selective pressures in echolocating bats and toothed whales compared to non-echolocating mammals. In addition, several nominally significant positively selected sites were detected in the non-functional domain of the SK2 gene, indicating that different selective pressures were acting on different parts of the SK2 gene. This study has expanded our knowledge of the adaptive evolution of high-frequency hearing in echolocating mammals.

Parasites in Antarctic krill guts inferred from DNA sequences

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison C. Cleary ◽  
Maria C. Casas ◽  
Edward G. Durbin ◽  
Jaime Gómez-Gutiérrez
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Antarctic Krill ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
The West ◽  
West Antarctic ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractThe keystone role of Antarctic krill,Euphausia superbaDana, in Southern Ocean ecosystems, means it is essential to understand the factors controlling their abundance and secondary production. One such factor that remains poorly known is the role of parasites. A recent study of krill diet using DNA analysis of gut contents provided a snapshot of the parasites present within 170E. superbaguts in a small area along the West Antarctic Peninsula. These parasites includedMetschnikowiaspp. fungi,Haptoglossasp. peronosporomycetes,LankesteriaandParalecudinaspp. apicomplexa,Stegophorussp. nematodes, andPseudocolliniaspp. ciliates. Of these parasites,Metschnikowiaspp. fungi andPseudocolliniaspp. ciliates had previously been observed inE. superba, as had other genera of apicomplexans, though notLankesteriaandParalecudina.In contrast, nematodes had previously only been observed in eggs ofE. superba, and there are no literature reports of peronosporomycetes in euphausiids.Pseudocolliniaspp., parasitoids which obligately kill their host, were the most frequently observed infection, with a prevalence of 12%. The wide range of observed parasites and the relatively high frequency of infections suggest parasites may play a more important role than previously acknowledged inE. superbaecology and population dynamics.

scholarly journals High frequency and wide range of human kidney papillary crystalline plugs

Urolithiasis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Léa Huguet ◽  
Marine Le Dudal ◽  
Marine Livrozet ◽  
Dominique Bazin ◽  
Vincent Frochot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
Wide Range

A Geometric Parametric Analysis of a Magnetorheological Engine Mount

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Anderson ◽  
Constantine Ciocanel ◽  
Mohammad Elahinia
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Variable Stiffness ◽  
Small Displacement ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Mr Fluid ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Engine Mount ◽  
Vehicle Technology

Engine vibration has caused a great deal of research for isolation to be performed. Traditionally, isolation was achieved through the use of pure elastomeric (rubber) mounts. However, with advances in vehicle technology, these types of mounts have become inadequate. The inadequacy stems from the vibration profile associated with the engine, i.e. high displacement at low frequency and small displacement at high frequency. Ideal isolation would be achieved through a stiff mount for low frequency and a soft mount for high frequency. This is contradictory to the performance of the elastomeric mounts. Hydraulic mounts were then developed to address this problem. A hydraulic mount has variable stiffness and damping due to the use of a decoupler and an inertia track. However, further advances in vehicle technology have rendered these mounts inadequate as well. Examples of these advances are hybridization (electric and hydraulic) and cylinder on demand (VCM, MDS & ACC). With these technologies, the vibration excitation has a significantly different profile, occurs over a wide range of frequencies, and calls for a new technology that can address this need. Magnetorheological (MR) fluid is a smart material that is able to change viscosity in the presence of a magnetic field. With the use of MR fluid, variable damping and stiffness can be achieved. An MR mount has been developed and tested. The performance of the mount depends on the geometry of the rubber part as well as the behavior of the MR fluid. The rubber top of the mount is the topic of this study due to its major impact on the isolation characteristics of the MR mount. To develop a design methodology to address the isolation needs of different hybrid vehicles, a geometric parametric finite element analysis has been completed and presented in this paper.

The Respiration of Cancer Pagurus Under Normoxic and Hypoxic Conditions

1982 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 273-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. BRADFORD ◽  
A. C. TAYLOR
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Lactate Concentration ◽  
Oxygen Affinity ◽  
Cardiac Activity ◽  
Blood Lactate Concentration ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Rhythmic Pattern ◽  
Cancer Pagurus ◽  
Wide Range

The respiration of Cancer pagurus under normoxic conditions and its respiratory responses to hypoxia are described. Respiration of quiescent crabs is characterized by a rhythmic pattern of ventilation and cardiac activity in which periods of apnoea and bradycardia of approximately 5 min duration alternate with longer periods of active ventilation and cardiac activity. The significance of this rhythmic ventilatory behaviour is discussed and evidence is presented to account for this behaviour in terms of allowing energy savings to be made during periods of inactivity. During a ventilatory pause the PO2 of the post-branchial blood falls from its normal level of 94 ± 5 torr to only 24 ± 3 torr. The blood of Cancer provides a store of oxygen which is used during pausing to maintain aerobic metabolism. Anaerobic metabolism does not appear to contribute significantly to energy production during these periods since no increase in the blood lactate concentration was recorded. Cancer haemocyanin has a high oxygen affinity (P50 = 5–10 torr) and exhibits a large, positive Bohr shift (Δ log P50/pH = −1.18). However, under normal conditions the pigment has only a minor role in supplying oxygen to the tissues, since over 91% is carried in solution. Cancer pagurus exhibits quite a high degree of respiratory independence and is able to maintain its rate of oxygen consumption approximately constant over a wide range of ambient oxygen tension, down to a PO2 of 60–80 torr, below which it declines. Similarly there was little change in heart rate during hypoxia until a PO2 of 20–40 torr was reached below which it also declined sharply. Oxygen consumption during hypoxia was maintained primarily as a result of an increase in ventilation volume and oxygen extraction. During hypoxia the PO2 of both the pre- and post-branchial blood declined and resulted in a reduction in the PO2 gradient across the respiratory surface (ΔPO2). Oxygen uptake during hypoxia was facilitated, however, by an increase in the transfer factor (TO2).

Energy consumption optimization for AC drives position control

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Branislav Ftorek ◽  
Milan Saga ◽  
Pavol Orsansky ◽  
Jan Vittek ◽  
Peter Butko
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Position Control ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ac Drives ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Energy Consumption Optimization

Purpose The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the two energy saving position control strategies for AC drives valid for a wide range of boundary conditions including an analysis of their energy expenses. Design/methodology/approach For energy demands analysis, the optimal energy control based on mechanical and electrical losses minimization is compared with the near-optimal one based on symmetrical trapezoidal speed profile. Both control strategies respect prescribed maneuver time and define acceleration profile for preplanned rest-to-rest maneuver. Findings Presented simulations confirm lower total energy expenditures of energy optimal control if compared with near-optimal one, but the differences are only small due to the fact that two energy saving strategies are compared. Research limitations/implications Developed overall control system consisting of energy saving profile generator, pre-compensator and position control system respecting principles of field-oriented control is capable to track precomputed state variables precisely. Practical implications Energy demands of both control strategies are verified and compared to simulations and preliminary experiments. The possibilities of energy savings were confirmed for both control strategies. Originality/value Experimental verification of designed control structure is sufficiently promising and confirmed assumed energy savings.

Separation of active and passive components of short-range stiffness of muscle

1977 ◽  
Vol 232 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Short Range ◽  
Muscle Tension ◽  
Isometric Tension ◽  
Incomplete Fusion ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Passive Components ◽  
Stimulus Rate ◽  
Straight Line ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Tendon Compliance

The short-range stiffness of smoothly but submaximally contracting isometric soleus muscles of anesthetised cats was measured by applying small fast stretches. The ratio of isometric tension to stiffness was plotted against tension over a wide range of muscle lengths and stimulus rates. The results fitted a straight line well, as predicted from crossbridge theory, showing the stiffness to be a function of tension only, independent of the combination of length and stimulus rate used to generate the tension. The major deviation from this line was attributed to incomplete fusion at low frequencies of stimulation. Values believed to be tendon compliance and crossbridge tension per unit of stiffness were found from the graph, and the tendon compliance correlated with the maximum muscle tension. Shortening the tendon by attaching nearer to the muscle changed the results in a manner consistent with the theory, provided that appropriate precautions were taken against slippage.

CLASSICAL-LIKE RESONANCE INDUCED BY NOISE IN A FITZHUGH–NAGUMO NEURON MODEL

1999 ◽  
Vol 09 (12) ◽  
pp. 2295-2303 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. RIPOLL MASSANÉS ◽  
C. J. PÉREZ VICENTE
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Interspike Interval ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Resonance Phenomenon ◽  
Characteristic Time Scale ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
Interspike Interval Distribution ◽  
Stochastic Resonance Phenomenon ◽  
Interval Distribution

We have studied the stochastic behavior of Fitzhugh–Nagumo neuron-like model (FN) induced by subthreshold external stimuli. Our analysis based on three standard measures: the power spectrum, interspike interval distribution (ISI) and autocorrelation function shows that it is possible to define a characteristic time scale which can be identified in the response of the system for a wide range of frequencies. In contrast to previous studies we have focused our attention on high frequency signals which could be of interest for real systems such as nervous fibers in the auditory system. We report behaviors which resemble those of classical deterministic oscillators but never the stochastic resonance phenomenon typical of low frequency signals.

Design of high-frequency wide-range all digital phase locked loop in 90 nm CMOS

2013 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashanth Muppala ◽  
Saiyu Ren ◽  
George Yu-Heng Lee
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Phase Locked Loop ◽  
Digital Phase ◽  
Wide Range

scholarly journals Patient-specific optimization of automated detection improves seizure onset zone localization based on high frequency oscillations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casey L. Trevino ◽  
Jack J. Lin ◽  
Indranil Sen-Gupta ◽  
Beth A. Lopour
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Classification Accuracy ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Seizure Onset ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Localization Accuracy ◽  
High Frequency Oscillations ◽  
Seizure Onset Zone ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

AbstractHigh frequency oscillations (HFOs) are a promising biomarker of epileptogenicity, and automated algorithms are critical tools for their detection. However, previously validated algorithms often exhibit decreased HFO detection accuracy when applied to a new data set, if the parameters are not optimized. This likely contributes to decreased seizure localization accuracy, but this has never been tested. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of parameter selection on seizure onset zone (SOZ) localization using automatically detected HFOs. We detected HFOs in intracranial EEG from twenty medically refractory epilepsy patients with seizure free surgical outcomes using an automated algorithm. For each patient, we assessed classification accuracy of channels inside/outside the SOZ using a wide range of detection parameters and identified the parameters associated with maximum classification accuracy. We found that only three out of twenty patients achieved maximal localization accuracy using conventional HFO detection parameters, and optimal parameter ranges varied significantly across patients. The parameters for amplitude threshold and root-mean-square window had the greatest impact on SOZ localization accuracy; minimum event duration and rejection of false positive events did not significantly affect the results. Using individualized optimal parameters led to substantial improvements in localization accuracy, particularly in reducing false positives from non-SOZ channels. We conclude that optimal HFO detection parameters are patient-specific, often differ from conventional parameters, and have a significant impact on SOZ localization. This suggests that individual variability should be considered when implementing automatic HFO detection as a tool for surgical planning.

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