Balance and mass distribution of the head in bipeds

在人类进化过程中，从四足运动的前倾位置到直立直立的两足运动的转变与森林栖息地的破碎化有关。以直立的姿势用两条腿站立和移动需要一些适应性调整，以保持整个身体对地面的平衡，并以最小的能量消耗保持脊柱上方的头部。哺乳动物的双足行走在有袋动物和啮齿动物中独立进化，除了人类（灵长类）。这个项目将研究两足动物头部的质量重新分配的作用，使头部的质量中心更接近身体的脊椎轴，从而有助于保持头部和整个身体直立时的平衡。

The shift during human evolution from quadrupedal locomotion in a pronograde position to bipedalism in an upright, orthograde position is associated withthe fragmentation of wooded habitats. Standing and moving in an upright posture on two legs requires a number of adaptations to maintain balance of thewhole body against the ground and also the head atop the vertebral column with minimal energetic cost. Bipedal locomotion in mammals hasindependently evolved within marsupials and rodents in addition to hominins (primates). This project will investigate the role of the redistribution of mass inthe head of bipeds to bring the centre of mass of the head closer to the vertebral axis of the body, and so aid in maintaining the balance of the head andwhole body when upright.