Balance and mass distribution of the head in bipeds

在人类进化的过程中，从四足动物在直立直立姿势下的运动转变为两足直立姿势，这与树木栖息地的碎片化有关。以两条腿直立的姿势站立和移动需要一系列的适应，以最小的能量成本保持全身与地面的平衡，以及头部与脊柱顶部的平衡。除了人(灵长类)外，哺乳动物的两足运动在有袋类动物和啮齿动物中也独立进化。这个项目将研究两足动物头部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，从而帮助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.