Integrative biomechanics of marine organisms: locomotor systems dynamics

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My research program on comparative and integrative biomechanics addresses the general question of how organisms deal with physical challenges at the level of systems and structures. Our aim is to discover nature's engineering solutions in order to better understand how animals work, and to make contributions to future design of bio-inspired devices. This proposal continues efforts in biomechanics of locomotor systems. 1. Aquatic propulsive systems. We will continue studies on anatomical and mechanical specializations that power fast, continuous swimming in fishes to understand how musculo-skeletal systems perform in different swimming regimes, particularly maximal performance. Emphasis will be on three-dimensional analyses of glycolytic muscle that comprises the bulk of the body and is used during burst and fast swimming. The goal of this research is to explore natural design for locomotion in an evolutionary context as well as to aid in the design of propulsive aquatic devices. 2. Swimming and feeding in baleen whales. Using kinematics data collected from data recorders placed on swimming blue, fin and humpback whales we will analyze and model the largest biomechanical event on earth, lunge feeding in the great whales. We aim to understand the mechanical process and the energetic cost of this activity, and consider how such large-scale feeding behaviour may have allowed or set limits to the evolution of these creatures. 3. Design of hydrodyfoil lunate tails in fish and whales. We will study the pattern of thrust forces generated by lunate tails of differing morphology, using direct force measurements on models as well as flow visualization to quantify wake characteristics. Doing so will allow us to compare swimming efficiencies and also to formulate design optima for fins that could be used to propel robotic devices.