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Shafiee M, Bellegarda G, Ijspeert A. Viability leads to the emergence of gait transitions in learning agile quadrupedal locomotion on challenging terrains. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3073. [PMID: 38594288 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47443-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Quadruped animals are capable of seamless transitions between different gaits. While energy efficiency appears to be one of the reasons for changing gaits, other determinant factors likely play a role too, including terrain properties. In this article, we propose that viability, i.e., the avoidance of falls, represents an important criterion for gait transitions. We investigate the emergence of gait transitions through the interaction between supraspinal drive (brain), the central pattern generator in the spinal cord, the body, and exteroceptive sensing by leveraging deep reinforcement learning and robotics tools. Consistent with quadruped animal data, we show that the walk-trot gait transition for quadruped robots on flat terrain improves both viability and energy efficiency. Furthermore, we investigate the effects of discrete terrain (i.e., crossing successive gaps) on imposing gait transitions, and find the emergence of trot-pronk transitions to avoid non-viable states. Viability is the only improved factor after gait transitions on both flat and discrete gap terrains, suggesting that viability could be a primary and universal objective of gait transitions, while other criteria are secondary objectives and/or a consequence of viability. Moreover, our experiments demonstrate state-of-the-art quadruped robot agility in challenging scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Shafiee
- Biorobotics Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Guillaume Bellegarda
- Biorobotics Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Auke Ijspeert
- Biorobotics Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Chalitsios C, Nikodelis T, Mavrommatis G, Kollias I. Subject-specific sensitivity of several biomechanical features to fatigue during an exhaustive treadmill run. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1004. [PMID: 38200137 PMCID: PMC10781943 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51296-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to examine the sensitivity of several movement features during running to exhaustion in a subject-specific setup adopting a cross-sectional design and a machine learning approach. Thirteen recreational runners, that systematically trained and competed, performed an exhaustive running protocol on an instrumented treadmill. Respiratory data were collected to establish the second ventilatory threshold (VT2) in order to obtain a reference point regarding the gradual accumulation of fatigue. A machine learning approach was adopted to analyze kinetic and kinematic data recorded for each participant, using a random forest classifier for the region pre and post the second ventilatory threshold. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis was used to explain the models' predictions and to provide insight about the most important variables. The classification accuracy value of the models adopted ranged from 0.853 to 0.962. The most important feature in six out of thirteen participants was the angular range in AP axis of upper trunk C7 (RTAPu) followed by maximum loading rate (RFDmaxD) and the angular range in the LT axis of the C7. SHAP dependence plots also showed an increased dispersion of predictions in stages around the second ventilatory threshold which is consistent with feature interactions. These results showed that each runner used the examined features differently to cope with the increase in fatigue and mitigate its effects in order to maintain a proper motor pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Chalitsios
- Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Thomas Nikodelis
- Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgios Mavrommatis
- Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Iraklis Kollias
- Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Granatosky MC, Toussaint SLD, Young MW, Panyutina A, Youlatos D. The northern treeshrew (Scandentia: Tupaiidae: Tupaia belangeri) in the context of primate locomotor evolution: A comprehensive analysis of gait, positional, and grasping behavior. J Exp Zool A Ecol Integr Physiol 2022; 337:645-665. [PMID: 35451573 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The locomotor behaviors of treeshrews are often reported as scurrying "squirrel-like" movements. As such, treeshrews have received little attention beyond passing remarks in regard to primate locomotor evolution. However, scandentians vary considerably in habitat and substrate use, thus categorizing all treeshrew locomotion based on data collected from a single species is inappropriate. This study presents data on gait characteristics, positional, and grasping behavior of the northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) and compares these findings to the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) to assess the role of treeshrews as a model for understanding the origins of primate locomotor and grasping evolution. We found that northern treeshrews were primarily arboreal and shared their activities between quadrupedalism, climbing and leaping in rates similar to fat-tailed dwarf lemurs. During quadrupedal locomotion, they exhibited a mixture of gait characteristics consistent with primates and other small-bodied non-primate mammals and demonstrated a hallucal grasping mode consistent with primates. These data reveal that northern treeshrews show a mosaic of primitive mammalian locomotor characteristics paired with derived primate features. Further, this study raises the possibility that many of the locomotor and grasping characteristics considered to be "uniquely" primate may ultimately be features consistent with Euarchonta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Granatosky
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
- Center for Biomedical Innovation, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | | | - Melody W Young
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Aleksandra Panyutina
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Dionisios Youlatos
- Department of Zoology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Dickinson E, Hanna CS, Fischer HM, Davoli EC, Currier AA, Granatosky MC. Locomotor energetics in the Indonesian blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua gigas) with implications for the cost of belly-dragging in early tetrapods. J Exp Zool A Ecol Integr Physiol 2022; 337:329-336. [PMID: 34914867 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
During the last decade, biomechanical and kinematic studies have suggested that a belly-dragging gait may have represented a critical locomotor stage during tetrapod evolution. This form of locomotion is hypothesized to facilitate animals to move on land with relatively weaker pectoral muscles. The Indonesian blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua gigas) is known for its belly-dragging locomotion and is thought to employ many of the same spatiotemporal gait characteristics of stem tetrapods. Conversely, the savannah monitor (Varanus exanthematicus) employs a raised quadrupedal gait. Thus, differences in the energetic efficiency of locomotion between these taxa may elucidate the role of energetic optimization in driving gait shifts in early tetrapods. Five Tiliqua and four Varanus were custom-fitted for 3D printed helmets that, combined with a Field Metabolic System, were used to collect open-flow respirometry data including O2 consumption, CO2 production, water vapor pressure, barometric pressure, room temperature, and airflow rates. Energetic data were collected for each species at rest, and when walking at three different speeds. Energetic consumption in each taxon increased at greater speeds. On a per-stride basis, energetic costs appear similar between taxa. However, significant differences were observed interspecifically in terms of net cost of transport. Overall, energy expenditure was ~20% higher in Tiliqua at equivalent speeds, suggesting that belly-dragging does impart a tangible energetic cost during quadrupedal locomotion. This cost, coupled with the other practical constraints of belly-dragging (e.g., restricting top-end speed and reducing maneuverability in complex terrains) may have contributed to the adoption of upright quadrupedal walking throughout tetrapod locomotor evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Dickinson
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Christopher S Hanna
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Hannah M Fischer
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Elizabeth C Davoli
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Allen A Currier
- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Michael C Granatosky
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA.,Center for Biomedical Innovation, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA
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Abstract
This article presents a brief retrospective on the Haken-Kelso-Bunz (HKB) model of certain dynamical properties of human movement. Though unanticipated, HKB introduced, and demonstrated the power of, a new vocabulary for understanding behavior, cognition and the brain, revealed through a visually compelling mathematical picture that accommodated highly reproducible experimental facts and predicted new ones. HKB stands as a harbinger of paradigm change in several scientific fields, the effects of which are still being felt. In particular, HKB constitutes the foundation of a mechanistic science of coordination called Coordination Dynamics that extends from matter to movement to mind, and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Scott Kelso
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, 33431, USA.
- Intelligent Systems Research Centre, Ulster University, Derry~Londonderry, BT48 7JL, Northern Ireland.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The walk-to-run transition, which occurs during gradually increasing locomotion speed, has been addressed in research at least eight decades back. RESEARCH QUESTION Why does the walk-to-run transition occur? In the present review, we focus on the reason for the transition, more than on the consequences of it. The latter has historically constituted a primary focus. METHODS In the present review, we scrutinize related literature. RESULTS We present a unifying conceptual framework of the dynamics of human locomotion. The framework unifies observations of the human walk-to-run transition for providing a common understanding. Further, the framework includes a schematic representation of the dynamic interaction between entities of subsystems of the human body during locomotion and the physical environment. We propose that the moving human body can behave as a dynamic non-linear complex system, which basically functions in a self-organized fashion during locomotion. Further, that the stride rate plays a particular key role for the transition. Finally, we propose that the coincidence between attractor stability and minimum energy turnover during locomotion is a consequence of the evolution of the phenotype of the adult human body and the dynamics of the acute process of self-organization during locomotion. SIGNIFICANCE The novel insight from the present work contributes to the academic understanding of human locomotion, including in particular the central behavioural phenomenon of walk-to-run transition. Furthermore, the understanding is relevant for the ongoing work within for example locomotion rehabilitation and development of assistive devices. Regarding the latter, examples could be devices within neurorobotics and exoskeletons where the basic understanding of human locomotion increases the possibility of a successful combination of human and technology.
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Kelso JAS. Unifying Large- and Small-Scale Theories of Coordination. Entropy (Basel) 2021; 23:e23050537. [PMID: 33925736 PMCID: PMC8146522 DOI: 10.3390/e23050537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Coordination is a ubiquitous feature of all living things. It occurs by virtue of informational coupling among component parts and processes and can be quite specific (as when cells in the brain resonate to signals in the environment) or nonspecific (as when simple diffusion creates a source–sink dynamic for gene networks). Existing theoretical models of coordination—from bacteria to brains to social groups—typically focus on systems with very large numbers of elements (N→∞) or systems with only a few elements coupled together (typically N = 2). Though sharing a common inspiration in Nature’s propensity to generate dynamic patterns, both approaches have proceeded largely independent of each other. Ideally, one would like a theory that applies to phenomena observed on all scales. Recent experimental research by Mengsen Zhang and colleagues on intermediate-sized ensembles (in between the few and the many) proves to be the key to uniting large- and small-scale theories of coordination. Disorder–order transitions, multistability, order–order phase transitions, and especially metastability are shown to figure prominently on multiple levels of description, suggestive of a basic Coordination Dynamics that operates on all scales. This unified coordination dynamics turns out to be a marriage of two well-known models of large- and small-scale coordination: the former based on statistical mechanics (Kuramoto) and the latter based on the concepts of Synergetics and nonlinear dynamics (extended Haken–Kelso–Bunz or HKB). We show that models of the many and the few, previously quite unconnected, are thereby unified in a single formulation. The research has led to novel topological methods to handle the higher-dimensional dynamics of coordination in complex systems and has implications not only for understanding coordination but also for the design of (biorhythm inspired) computers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. A. Scott Kelso
- Human Brain & Behavior Laboratory (HBBL), Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33432, USA;
- Intelligent Systems Research Centre, Magee Campus, Ulster University, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7JL, UK
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Granatosky MC, Amanat S, Panyutina AA, Youlatos D. Gait mechanics of a blind echolocating rodent: Implications for the locomotion of small arboreal mammals and proto-bats. J Exp Zool A Ecol Integr Physiol 2021; 335:436-453. [PMID: 33830677 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Arboreal mammals have evolved a range of biomechanical adaptations that allow them to navigate trees effectively. One such feature that has received considerable attention is the importance of vision that helps arboreal animals assess gap distances, assure proper foot placement, and inspect potential risks. While there is considerable debate about the relative importance of the visual system specifics, there is little doubt that the ability to at least see the environment must confer some level of safety when navigating arboreal substrates. In this study, we explore spatiotemporal and kinematic patterns of arboreal locomotion in the Vietnamese pygmy dormouse (Typhlomys chapensis), a blind rodent that uses ultrasonic echolocation to navigate in tree canopies. We compare these data with five other species of arboreal rodents and primates. Spatiotemporal gait characteristics are largely similar between the Vietnamese pygmy dormouse and other small-bodied arboreal species analyzed. Most notable is the tendency for relatively high-speed asymmetrical gaits on large-diameter substrates and slower symmetrical lateral-sequence gaits on small-diameter substrates. Furthermore, for all species speed is primarily regulated by increasing stride frequency rather than length. Kinematics of the Vietnamese pygmy dormouse changed little in response substrate size and were primarily driven by speed. These findings suggest that the information gathered during ultrasonic scanning is sufficient to allow effective quadrupedal locomotion while moving on arboreal supports. The Vietnamese pygmy dormouse may serve as a model for the quadrupedal nocturnal ancestor of bats, which had started developing ultrasonic echolocation and reducing vision while likely occupying an arboreal niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Granatosky
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York, USA.,College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Sonia Amanat
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, New York, USA
| | - Aleksandra A Panyutina
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Dionisios Youlatos
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Sacco AJ, Granatosky MC, Laird MF, Milich KM. Validation of a method for quantifying urinary C-peptide in platyrrhine monkeys. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 300:113644. [PMID: 33045233 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Urinary C-peptide (UCP) is a biomarker for insulin that can be used as a non-invasive physiological measure of energy balance. Previous research has validated the use of UCP to quantify energy balance in catarrhines; however, there have been no such studies in platyrrhines. Validation is necessary in this lineage of primates as divergent evolution has resulted in varied organization of insulin genes. Here, we evaluate a method for quantifying UCP in platyrrhines to measure energetic expenditure, a key component of calculating energy balance. Urine samples were opportunistically collected from laboratory-housed tufted capuchins (Sapajus apella) during exercise activities. To examine the efficacy of using UCP as a means for assessing energetic condition, we analyzed urine samples collected before and after exercise. Urinary C-peptide concentrations were measured using a commercial C-peptide radioimmunoassay. We found that on average, UCP concentrations were 0.34 ng/mL lower after exercise than they were prior to exercise (range =0.04 to 0.71 ng/mL). The rateofenergy expenditureper unit time was greater when capuchins were exercising at faster speeds. Concordantly, UCP concentrations decreased more following exercise at those faster speeds. Parallelism of serial dilutions of samples was calculated to assess the precision of UCP concentrations produced using these methods. Measured UCP concentrations decreased at expected intervals in accordance with each dilution factor. Our results provide biological validation of the use of a commercial assay for quantifying UCP as a measure of energy expenditure in this platyrrhine species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Myra F Laird
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Krista M Milich
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, USA.
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Granatosky MC, McElroy EJ, Lemelin P, Reilly SM, Nyakatura JA, Andrada E, Kilbourne BM, Allen VR, Butcher MT, Blob RW, Ross CF. Variation in limb loading magnitude and timing in tetrapods. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:jeb.201525. [PMID: 31776184 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.201525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Comparative analyses of locomotion in tetrapods reveal two patterns of stride cycle variability. Tachymetabolic tetrapods (birds and mammals) have lower inter-cycle variation in stride duration than bradymetabolic tetrapods (amphibians, lizards, turtles and crocodilians). This pattern has been linked to the fact that birds and mammals share enlarged cerebella, relatively enlarged and heavily myelinated Ia afferents, and γ-motoneurons to their muscle spindles. Both tachymetabolic tetrapod lineages also possess an encapsulated Golgi tendon morphology, thought to provide more spatially precise information on muscle tension. The functional consequence of this derived Golgi tendon morphology has never been tested. We hypothesized that one advantage of precise information on muscle tension would be lower and more predictable limb bone stresses, achieved in tachymetabolic tetrapods by having less variable substrate reaction forces than bradymetabolic tetrapods. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed hindlimb substrate reaction forces during locomotion of 55 tetrapod species in a phylogenetic comparative framework. Variation in species means of limb loading magnitude and timing confirm that, for most of the variables analyzed, variance in hindlimb loading and timing is significantly lower in species with encapsulated versus unencapsulated Golgi tendon organs. These findings suggest that maintaining predictable limb loading provides a selective advantage for birds and mammals by allowing energy savings during locomotion, lower limb bone safety factors and quicker recovery from perturbations. The importance of variation in other biomechanical variables in explaining these patterns, such as posture, effective mechanical advantage and center-of-mass mechanics, remains to be clarified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Granatosky
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Eric J McElroy
- Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424, USA
| | - Pierre Lemelin
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2H7
| | - Stephen M Reilly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 43210, USA
| | - John A Nyakatura
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Emanuel Andrada
- Institute of Zoology and Evolutionary Research, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 07749 Jena, Germany
| | - Brandon M Kilbourne
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Vivian R Allen
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Michael T Butcher
- Department of Biological Sciences, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH 44555, USA
| | - Richard W Blob
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, SC 29634, USA
| | - Callum F Ross
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Clayton HM, Hobbs SJ. A Review of Biomechanical Gait Classification with Reference to Collected Trot, Passage and Piaffe in Dressage Horses. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9100763. [PMID: 31623360 PMCID: PMC6826507 DOI: 10.3390/ani9100763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This paper reviews the biomechanical classification of diagonally coordinated gaits of dressage horses, specifically, collected trot, passage and piaffe. Each gait was classified as a walking gait or a running gait based on three criteria: limb kinematics, ground reaction forces and center of mass mechanics. The data for trot and passage were quite similar and both were classified as running gaits according to all three criteria. In piaffe, the limbs have relatively long stance durations and there are no aerial phases, so kinematically it was classified as a walking gait. However, the shape of the vertical ground reaction force curve and the strategies used to control movements of the center of mass were more similar to those of a running gait. The hind limbs act as springs with limb compression increasing progressively from collected trot to passage to piaffe, whereas the forelimbs show less compression in passage and piaffe and behave more like struts. Abstract Gaits are typically classified as walking or running based on kinematics, the shape of the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) curve, and the use of inverted pendulum or spring-mass mechanics during the stance phase. The objectives of this review were to describe the biomechanical characteristics that differentiate walking and running gaits, then apply these criteria to classify and compare the enhanced natural gait of collected trot with the artificial gaits of passage and piaffe as performed by highly trained dressage horses. Limb contact and lift off times were used to determine contact sequence, limb phase, duty factor, and aerial phase duration. Ground reaction force data were plotted to assess fore and hind limb loading patterns. The center of mass (COM) trajectory was evaluated in relation to changes in potential and kinetic energy to assess the use of inverted pendulum and spring-mass mechanics. Collected trot and passage were classified as running gaits according to all three criteria whereas piaffe appears to be a hybrid gait combining walking kinematics with running GRFs and COM mechanics. The hind limbs act as springs and show greater limb compression in passage and piaffe compared with trot, whereas the forelimbs behave more like struts showing less compression in passage and piaffe than in trot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary M Clayton
- Sport Horse Science, 3145 Sandhill Road, Mason, MI 48854, USA.
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Sarah Jane Hobbs
- Centre for Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK.
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Egenvall A, Clayton HM, Eisersiö M, Roepstorff L, Byström A. Rein Tension in Transitions and Halts during Equestrian Dressage Training. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9100712. [PMID: 31547540 PMCID: PMC6827353 DOI: 10.3390/ani9100712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the equestrian dressage discipline, the transitions (changes) between gaits and into halts, occur often in riding sessions. Rein tension before, during and after the transitions between gaits, and the transitions into halts were studied. The vertical motion data for the horse’s head and croup, and rein tension data were collected from six professional riders, each riding three of their own horses during normal training sessions. The horse training levels varied from basic to advanced. The activities during the sessions were categorised into gaits, transitions between gaits and into halts based on video evaluation. The transitions were categorised according to whether they had intermediate steps that were not characteristic of the preceding or the following gait. The rein tension just before the transition was strongly related to rein tension during the transitions. There was slightly lower tension during the upward transitions than during the downward transitions. There was no difference in rein tension depending on whether intermediate steps were present or not. The left rein tension was generally lower than the right rein tension. The rein tension associated with the transitions and halts varied substantially between riders and also the horses. This information is useful for trainers seeking to understand the rein tension patterns associated with transitions. Abstract In dressage, the performance of transitions between gaits and halts is an integral part of riding sessions. The study aimed to evaluate rein tension before, during and after the transitions between different gaits and the transitions into halts. The kinematic (inertial measurement units) data for the head and croup, and rein tension data, were collected (128 Hz) from six professional riders each riding three of their own horses, training levels varying from basic to advanced, during normal training sessions. The activities were categorised into gaits, halts and transitions based on video evaluation. The transitions were categorised as without (type 1) or with (type 2) intermediate steps that are not normally present in the gaits preceding or following the transition. The differences in the median rein tension before/during/after transitions, between the types and left/right reins were analysed in mixed models. The rein tension just before the transition was the strongest determinant of tension during the transition. The rein tension was slightly lower during upward transitions compared to downward transitions, reflecting the pattern of the preceding gait. Type 1 and 2 downward transitions were not different regarding rein tension. The left rein tension was lower than right rein tension. The rein tension associated with the transitions and halts varied substantially between riders and horses. The generally strong association of the gaits and their inherent biomechanics with rein tension should be taken into account when riding transitions and halts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agneta Egenvall
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | | | - Marie Eisersiö
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Lars Roepstorff
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7046, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Anna Byström
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7046, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Falisse A, Serrancolí G, Dembia CL, Gillis J, Jonkers I, De Groote F. Rapid predictive simulations with complex musculoskeletal models suggest that diverse healthy and pathological human gaits can emerge from similar control strategies. J R Soc Interface 2019; 16:20190402. [PMID: 31431186 PMCID: PMC6731507 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Physics-based predictive simulations of human movement have the potential to support personalized medicine, but large computational costs and difficulties to model control strategies have limited their use. We have developed a computationally efficient optimal control framework to predict human gaits based on optimization of a performance criterion without relying on experimental data. The framework generates three-dimensional muscle-driven simulations in 36 min on average—more than 20 times faster than existing simulations—by using direct collocation, implicit differential equations and algorithmic differentiation. Using this framework, we identified a multi-objective performance criterion combining energy and effort considerations that produces physiologically realistic walking gaits. The same criterion also predicted the walk-to-run transition and clinical gait deficiencies caused by muscle weakness and prosthesis use, suggesting that diverse healthy and pathological gaits can emerge from the same control strategy. The ability to predict the mechanics and energetics of a broad range of gaits with complex three-dimensional musculoskeletal models will allow testing novel hypotheses about gait control and hasten the development of optimal treatments for neuro-musculoskeletal disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gil Serrancolí
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
| | | | - Joris Gillis
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,DMMS Lab, Flanders Make, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Jonkers
- Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Marmol-Guijarro AC, Nudds RL, Marrin JC, Folkow LP, Codd JR. Terrestrial locomotion of the Svalbard rock ptarmigan: comparing field and laboratory treadmill studies. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11451. [PMID: 31391515 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47989-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Research into the terrestrial locomotion of birds is often based upon laboratory treadmill experiments. However, it is unclear how transposable these results are for birds moving in the wild. Here, using video recordings, we compared the kinematics of locomotion (stride frequency, stride length, stance phase, swing phase, duty factor) and speed range of Svalbard rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea) under field and laboratory treadmill conditions. Our findings indicate that the kinematics of walking and aerial running are conserved when moving on the treadmill and in the field. Differences, however, were found when grounded running under the two conditions, linked to substrate. Substrate effects were confirmed by analysing trials only moving over very hard snow. In line with laboratory treadmill energetic predictions, wild ptarmigan have a preferred speed during walking and to a lesser extent when aerial running but not when moving with a grounded running gait. The birds were also capable of a higher top speed in the field than that observed during treadmill studies. Our findings demonstrate that laboratory treadmill research provides meaningful information relevant to wild birds while highlighting the importance of understanding the substrate the animals are moving over.
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Granatosky MC, McElroy EJ, Laird MF, Iriarte-Diaz J, Reilly SM, Taylor AB, Ross CF. Joint angular excursions during cyclical behaviors differ between tetrapod feeding and locomotor systems. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.200451. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.200451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Tetrapod musculoskeletal diversity is usually studied separately in feeding and locomotor systems. However, comparisons between these systems promise important insight into how natural selection deploys the same basic musculoskeletal toolkit—connective tissues, bones, nerves and skeletal muscle—to meet the differing performance criteria of feeding and locomotion. In this study, we compare average joint angular excursions during cyclic behaviors– chewing, walking and running–in a phylogenetic context to explore differences in the optimality criteria of these two systems. Across 111 tetrapod species, average limb-joint angular excursions during cyclic locomotion are greater and more evolutionarily labile than those of the jaw joint during cyclic chewing. We argue that these findings reflect fundamental functional dichotomies between tetrapod locomotor and feeding systems. Tetrapod chewing systems are optimized for precise application of force over a narrower, more controlled and predictable range of displacements, the principal aim being to fracture the substrate, the size and mechanical properties of which are controlled at ingestion and further reduced and homogenized (respectively) by the chewing process. In contrast, tetrapod limbed locomotor systems are optimized for fast and energetically efficient application of force over a wider and less predictable range of displacements, the principal aim being to move the organism at varying speeds relative to a substrate whose geometry and mechanical properties need not become more homogenous as locomotion proceeds. Hence, the evolution of tetrapod locomotor systems has been accompanied by an increasing diversity of limb-joint excursions, as tetrapods have expanded across a range of locomotor substrates and environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. Granatosky
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Eric J. McElroy
- Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Myra F. Laird
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jose Iriarte-Diaz
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Callum F. Ross
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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