MRI: Acquisition of Instrumentation for Comparative Experimental Biomechanics Research

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。俄亥俄州大学最近扩大了其研究和教育设施，以允许调查大型动物的运动动力学。该奖项将资助在这个新设施的最先进的设备的收购，并支持教师，附属研究人员，研究生和本科生在俄亥俄州大学的研究和教育活动。一个动作捕捉和分析系统将被用来获取身体运动的高速图像。两个利用X射线的视频荧光镜将使研究人员能够可视化骨骼运动。当与运动捕捉系统硬件和软件一起使用时，这些X射线图像可以用于生成骨骼运动的三维电影。将使用测力板集成跑步机记录在不同速度下接触地面时产生的力。最后，压力板将提供与地面接触期间脚上的压力分布的细节。此外，该奖项将支持通过博士后职位继续培训和指导最近的生物力学研究博士。 使用该设备的个人将研究动物肌肉骨骼功能和运动的各个方面，特别强调进食和运动。例如，喂养研究将评估不同动物的下颌运动如何协调，以指导牙齿接触和下颌关节的运动。运动研究将集中在步态的启动和过渡以及不同速度范围内的足部接触压力，以了解跑步，步行和小跑过程中肢体运动的变化。研究成果将包括增加对不同类型哺乳动物的肌肉骨骼形式和功能的科学理解。运动和力量数据也将与相关肌肉和骨骼的解剖学研究相结合，以开发肌肉骨骼进化模型。教育成果将包括在俄亥俄州大学对生物学和工程学的本科生和研究生进行最先进的技术培训，以了解肌肉骨骼生物力学。 项目成果将通过科学出版物和介绍以及通过在地方和区域场所的公共宣传传播。由于大多数设备将使身体运动的动态可视化，这些研究的数据提供了一个独特的机会，让公众参与运动科学。 因此，私人研究员亦会把研究项目制作成录像带及电脑动画，供公众人士在互联网上查阅。 这些视频将通过PI个人网页以及通过设施网页向公众提供。这些录像将特别有助于针对俄亥俄州东南部农村地区当地公立学校学生的教育和宣传活动。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Ohio University has recently expanded its research and education facilities to allow investigations into the dynamics of movement in large animals. This award will fund the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment at this new facility and support the research and educational activities of faculty, affiliated researchers, graduate students and undergraduates at Ohio University. A motion capture and analysis system will be used to acquire high speed images of body movements. Two videofluoroscopes utilizing x-rays will enable researchers to visualize skeletal movements. When used with the motion capture system hardware and software, these x-ray images can be used to generate 3-dimensional movies of the skeletal movements. A force-plate integrated treadmill will be used to record the forces generated during ground contact at different speeds. Finally, a pressure plate will provide the details of the pressure distribution on the feet during contact with the ground. Additionally, this award will support the continued training and mentoring of a recent PhD in biomechanics research through a postdoctoral position. Individuals utilizing this equipment will study all aspects of musculoskeletal function and movement in animals, with a special emphasis on feeding and locomotion. Feeding studies will evaluate, for example, how jaw movements are coordinated in different animals to direct tooth contacts and motion at the jaw joint. Locomotion studies will focus on gait initiation and transitions and foot contact pressures across a range of speeds to understand how limb movements change during running, walking, and trotting. Research outcomes will include increased scientific understanding of the musculoskeletal form and function across different types of mammals. Movement and force data will also be integrated with anatomical studies of associated muscles and bones to develop models of musculoskeletal evolution. Educational outcomes will include the training of undergraduate and graduate biology and engineering students at Ohio University in the most advanced techniques for understanding musculoskeletal biomechanics. Project outcomes will be disseminated through scientific publications and presentations as well as through public outreach in local and regional venues. Because most of the equipment will enable dynamic visualization of movements of the body, data from these studies provide a unique opportunity to engage the public in the science of motion. Thus, PIs will also generate videos and computer animations from research projects for internet access by the public. These videos will be made available to the public through PIs individual webpages as well as through a facility webpage. These videos will be particularly useful for educational and outreach activities aimed at local public school students in rural southeast Ohio.