Strategies for swimming: explorations of the behaviour of a neuro-musculo-mechanical model of the lamprey.

ABSTRACT: Experiments were performed on a neuro-musculo-mechanical model of a lamprey, to explore the strategies for controlling swimming speed. The muscle component of the model was based on previous experiments on isolated lamprey muscle. The patterns of muscle activation were those found in EMG studies on swimming lampreys. The fluid mechanics were modelled with G.I. Taylor's simplification. Tail beat frequencies of 2-6 sec(-1) were combined with muscle activation strengths of 0.1% to 20% of maximum tetanic isometric strength. The resulting forward swimming speed and changing body shape were recorded. From the changing body shape the speed of the backward-travelling wave of curvature was calculated, as well as the ratio between the speeds of the waves of activation and curvature. For any given ac

SUBMITTER: Williams TL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4359731 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature