Neuromechanical simulation of the locust jump.

ABSTRACT: The neural circuitry and biomechanics of kicking in locusts have been studied to understand their roles in the control of both kicking and jumping. It has been hypothesized that the same neural circuit and biomechanics governed both behaviors but this hypothesis was not testable with current technology. We built a neuromechanical model to test this and to gain a better understanding of the role of the semi-lunar process (SLP) in jump dynamics. The jumping and kicking behaviors of the model were tested by comparing them with a variety of published data, and were found to reproduce the results from live animals. This confirmed that the kick neural circuitry can produce the jump behavior. The SLP is a set of highly sclerotized bands of cuticle that can be bent to store energy for use during k

SUBMITTER: Cofer D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2837733 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature