scholarly journals Analyzing Moment Arm Profiles in a Full-Muscle Rat Hindlimb Model

Biomimetics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fletcher Young ◽  
Christian Rode ◽  
Alex Hunt ◽  
Roger Quinn

Understanding the kinematics of a hindlimb model is a fundamental aspect of modeling coordinated locomotion. This work describes the development process of a rat hindlimb model that contains a complete muscular system and incorporates physiological walking data to examine realistic muscle movements during a step cycle. Moment arm profiles for selected muscles are analyzed and presented as the first steps to calculating torque generation at hindlimb joints. A technique for calculating muscle moment arms from muscle attachment points in a three-dimensional (3D) space has been established. This model accounts for the configuration of adjacent joints, a critical aspect of biarticular moment arm analysis that must be considered when calculating joint torque. Moment arm profiles from isolated muscle motions are compared to two existing models. The dependence of biarticular muscle’s moment arms on the configuration of the adjacent joint is a critical aspect of moment arm analysis that must be considered when calculating joint torque. The variability in moment arm profiles suggests changes in muscle function during a step.

Paleobiology ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl J. Niklas ◽  
Vincent Kerchner

A computer model is presented which is capable of calculating both the photosynthetic efficiency (I) of any specified plant shape and the stress related to the total moment arm (M) imposed on vertical branching patterns. Computer simulations indicate that a flattened plant thallus and an erect branching growth habit are two plant shapes capable of optimizing photosynthetic efficiency during indeterminate growth. These two morphologies have geometric analogues in the dorsiventral thalli of some bryophytes and in the vertical axes of mosses and tracheophytes, respectively.Extension of the model to complex, three-dimensional branching patterns indicates that I and I/M are maximized when branching is overtopped (treelike, with lateral branches on a main axis) and when lateral branching systems are planated (frondlike). Geometric alterations of branching patterns that result in optimization of I and I/M can be simulated by computer and are shown to be similar to morphologic alterations attending the early evolution of vascular land plants. It is suggested that a number of major evolutionary trends seen in Upper Silurian to Upper Devonian times can be expressed in terms of optimizing the display of photosynthetic tissues (I) or the balance between photosynthetic efficiency and incurred moment arms (I/M).


2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (5) ◽  
pp. 538-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josh R. Baxter ◽  
Stephen J. Piazza

Muscle volume is known to correlate with maximal joint torque in humans, but the role of muscle moment arm in determining maximal torque is less clear. Moderate correlations have been reported between maximal isometric knee extensor torque and knee extensor moment arm, but no such observations have been made for the ankle joint. It has been suggested that smaller muscle moment arms may enhance force generation at high rates of joint rotation, but this has not yet been observed for ankle muscles in vivo. The purpose of the present study was to correlate plantar flexor moment arm and plantar flexor muscle volume with maximal plantar flexor torque measured at different rates of plantar flexion. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify the plantar flexor moment arm and muscle volume of the posterior compartment in 20 healthy young men. Maximal plantar flexor torque was measured isometrically and at three plantar flexion speeds using an isokinetic dynamometer. Plantar flexor torque was significantly correlated with muscle volume (0.222 < R2 < 0.322) and with muscle moment arm at each speed (0.323 < R2 < 0.494). While muscle volume was strongly correlated with body mass and stature, moment arm was not. The slope of the torque-moment arm regression line decreased as the rate of joint rotation increased, indicating that subjects with small moment arms experienced smaller reductions in torque at high speeds. The findings of this study suggest that plantar flexor moment arm is a determinant of joint strength that is at least as important as muscle size.


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 444
Author(s):  
Guoning Si ◽  
Liangying Sun ◽  
Zhuo Zhang ◽  
Xuping Zhang

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and testing of a novel three-dimensional (3D) three-fingered electrothermal microgripper with multiple degrees of freedom (multi DOFs). Each finger of the microgripper is composed of a V-shaped electrothermal actuator providing one DOF, and a 3D U-shaped electrothermal actuator offering two DOFs in the plane perpendicular to the movement of the V-shaped actuator. As a result, each finger possesses 3D mobilities with three DOFs. Each beam of the actuators is heated externally with the polyimide film. The durability of the polyimide film is tested under different voltages. The static and dynamic properties of the finger are also tested. Experiments show that not only can the microgripper pick and place microobjects, such as micro balls and even highly deformable zebrafish embryos, but can also rotate them in 3D space.


Author(s):  
Rahid Zaman ◽  
Yujiang Xiang ◽  
Jazmin Cruz ◽  
James Yang

In this study, the three-dimensional (3D) asymmetric maximum weight lifting is predicted using an inverse-dynamics-based optimization method considering dynamic joint torque limits. The dynamic joint torque limits are functions of joint angles and angular velocities, and imposed on the hip, knee, ankle, wrist, elbow, shoulder, and lumbar spine joints. The 3D model has 40 degrees of freedom (DOFs) including 34 physical revolute joints and 6 global joints. A multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem is solved by simultaneously maximizing box weight and minimizing the sum of joint torque squares. A total of 12 male subjects were recruited to conduct maximum weight box lifting using squat-lifting strategy. Finally, the predicted lifting motion, ground reaction forces, and maximum lifting weight are validated with the experimental data. The prediction results agree well with the experimental data and the model’s predictive capability is demonstrated. This is the first study that uses MOO to predict maximum lifting weight and 3D asymmetric lifting motion while considering dynamic joint torque limits. The proposed method has the potential to prevent individuals’ risk of injury for lifting.


Sensor Review ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 312-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yixiang Bian ◽  
Can He ◽  
Kaixuan Sun ◽  
Longchao Dai ◽  
Hui Shen ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to design and fabricate a three-dimensional (3D) bionic airflow sensing array made of two multi-electrode piezoelectric metal-core fibers (MPMFs), inspired by the structure of a cricket’s highly sensitive airflow receptor (consisting of two cerci). Design/methodology/approach A metal core was positioned at the center of an MPMF and surrounded by a hollow piezoceramic cylinder. Four thin metal films were spray-coated symmetrically on the surface of the fiber that could be used as two pairs of sensor electrodes. Findings In 3D space, four output signals of the two MPMFs arrays can form three “8”-shaped spheres. Similarly, the sensing signals for the same airflow are located on a spherical surface. Originality/value Two MPMF arrays are sufficient to detect the speed and direction of airflow in all three dimensions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 789-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Navacchia ◽  
Vasiliki Kefala ◽  
Kevin B. Shelburne

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuanfeng Wang

Curve-tracking control is challenging and fundamental in many robotic applications for an autonomous agent to follow a desired path. In this paper, we consider a particle, representing a fully actuated autonomous robot, moving at unit speed under steering control in the three-dimensional (3D) space. We develop a feedback control law that enables the particle to track any smooth curve in the 3D space. Representing the 3D curve in the natural Frenet frame, we construct the control law under which the moving direction of the particle will be aligned with the tangent direction of the desired curve and the distance between the particle and the desired curve will converge to zero. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed 3D curve-tracking control law in simulations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor D. Niehues ◽  
Ashish D. Deshpande

The anatomically correct testbed (ACT) hand mechanically simulates the musculoskeletal structure of the fingers and thumb of the human hand. In this work, we analyze the muscle moment arms (MAs) and thumb-tip force vectors in the ACT thumb in order to compare the ACT thumb's mechanical structure to the human thumb. Motion data are used to determine joint angle-dependent MA models, and thumb-tip three-dimensional (3D) force vectors are experimentally analyzed when forces are applied to individual muscles. Results are presented for both a nominal ACT thumb model designed to match human MAs and an adjusted model that more closely replicates human-like thumb-tip forces. The results confirm that the ACT thumb is capable of faithfully representing human musculoskeletal structure and muscle functionality. Using the ACT hand as a physical simulation platform allows us to gain a better understanding of the underlying biomechanical and neuromuscular properties of the human hand to ultimately inform the design and control of robotic and prosthetic hands.


2013 ◽  
Vol 319 ◽  
pp. 343-347
Author(s):  
Ru Ting Xia ◽  
Xiao Yan Zhou

This research aimed to reveal characteristics of visual attention of low-vision drivers. Near and far stimuli were used by means of a three-dimensional (3D) attention measurement system that simulated traffic environment. We measured the reaction time of subjects while attention shifted in three kinds of imitational peripheral environment illuminance (daylight, twilight and dawn conditions). Subjects were required to judge whether the target presented nearer than fixation point or further than it. The results showed that the peripheral environment illuminance had evident influence on the reaction time of drivers, the reaction time was slow in dawn and twilight conditions than in daylight condition, distribution of attention had the advantage in nearer space than farther space, that is, and the shifts of attention in 3D space had an anisotropy characteristic in depth. The results suggested that (1) visual attention might be operated with both precueing paradigm and stimulus controls included the depth information, (2) an anisotropy characteristic of attention shifting depend on the attention moved distance, and it showed remarkably in dawn condition than in daylight and twilight conditions.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinye Chen ◽  
Abbi miller ◽  
Shengting Cao ◽  
Yu Gan ◽  
Jie Zhang ◽  
...  

<div>A micro- and nano-fluidic device stacked with magnetic beads is developed to efficiently trap, concentrate, and retrieve Escherichia coli (E. coli) from bacteria suspension</div><div>and pig plasma. The small voids between the magnetic beads are used to physically isolate the bacteria in the device. We use computational fluid dynamics (CFD), 3D</div><div>tomography technology, and machine learning to probe and explain the bead stacking in a small 3D space with various flow rates. A combination of beads with different sizes is utilized to achieve a high capture efficiency of ~86% with a flow rate of 50 μL/min. Leveraging the high deformability of this device, the E. coli sample is retrieved from the designated bacteria suspension by applying a higher flow rate, followed by rapid magnetic separation. This unique function is also utilized to concentrate E. coli from the original bacteria suspension. An on-chip concentration</div><div>factor of ~11× is achieved by inputting 1,300 μL of the E. coli sample and then concentrating it in 100 μL buffer.</div><div>Importantly, this multiplexed, miniaturized, inexpensive, and transparent device is easy to fabricate and operate, making it ideal for pathogen separation in both laboratory and pointof- care (POC) settings.</div>


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