Dependence of release variables in the shot put

When the shot is released above a horizontal plane, range from this point depends on release height, speed and angle. Measured distance is the sum of this range and horizontal distance of the release point from the throwing circle edge. Optimal release conditions can be calculated only if the dependence of release velocity on other variables, due to thrower limitations, is known. Experiments on two shot-putters investigated the hypothesis that there are constraint relationships among these four release parameters. A variable scaling scheme, using measurement of impact point and the known magnitude of g, corrected 2D data from one camera for out-of-plane motion and yielded accurate estimates of release parameters. Multivariate regression analyses determined approximate constraint surfaces limiting performance. Achievable release speed decreases with increasing release angle at about 1.7(m/s)/rad and decreases with increasing release height at about 0.8(m/s)/m, with only small differences in sensitivities between the throwers. Horizontal release distance also decreases with increasing release angle at about 1.7m/rad and increases with increasing release height at about 1.3m/m, again with only small differences between the two throwers. Optimal release conditions producing maximum range for a particular athlete can be determined using similar constraints for that athlete.     

Bayes estimators for phylogenetic reconstruction

Tree reconstruction methods are often judged by their accuracy, measured by how close they get to the true tree. Yet, most reconstruction methods like maximum likelihood (ML) do not explicitly maximize this accuracy. To address this problem, we propose a Bayesian solution. Given tree samples, we propose finding the tree estimate that is closest on average to the samples. This "median" tree is known as the Bayes estimator (BE). The BE literally maximizes posterior expected accuracy, measured in terms of closeness (distance) to the true tree. We discuss a unified framework of BE trees, focusing especially on tree distances that are expressible as squared euclidean distances. Notable examples include Robinson-Foulds (RF) distance, quartet distance, and squared path difference. Using both simulated and real data, we show that BEs can be estimated in practice by hill-climbing. In our simulation, we find that BEs tend to be closer to the true tree, compared with ML and neighbor joining. In particular, the BE under squared path difference tends to perform well in terms of both path difference and RF distances.     

Sampling frequencies and measurement error for linear and temporal gait parameters in primate locomotion

Quantitative analyses of animal motion are increasingly easy to conduct using simple video equipment and relatively inexpensive software packages. With careful use, such analytical tools have the potential to quantify differences in movement between individuals or species and to allow insights into the behavioral consequences of morphological differences between taxa. However, as with any other type of measurement, there are errors associated with kinematic measurements. Because normative kinematic data on human and nonhuman primate locomotion are used to model aspects of gait of fossil hominins, errors in the extant data influence the accuracy of fossil gait reconstructions. The principal goal of this paper is to illustrate the effect of camera speeds (frame rates) on kinematic measurement errors, and to demonstrate how these errors vary with subject size, movement velocity, and sample size. Kinematic data for human walking and running (240 Hz), as well as data for primate quadrupedal walking and running (180 Hz) were used as inputs for a simulation of the measurement errors associated with various linear and temporal kinematic variables. Measurement errors were shown to increase as camera speed, subject body size, and interval duration all decrease, and as movement velocity increases. These results have implications for the methods used to calculate subject velocity and suggest that using a moving marker to measure the linear displacements of the body is preferable to the use of a stationary marker. Finally, while slower camera speeds will always result in higher measurement errors than do faster camera speeds, this effect can be moderated to some extent by collecting sufficiently large samples of data.     

Validity of time series kinematical data as measured by a markerless motion capture system on a flatland for gait assessment

As a cost-effective, clinician-friendly gait assessment tool, the Kinect v2 sensor may be effective for assessing lower extremity joint kinematics. This study aims to examine the validity of time series kinematical data as measured by the Kinect v2 on a flatland for gait assessment. In this study, 51 healthy subjects walked on a flatland while kinematic data were extracted concurrently using the Kinect and Vicon systems. The kinematic outcomes comprised the hip and knee joint angles. Parallel translation of Kinect data obtained throughout the gait cycle was performed to minimize the differences between the Kinect and Vicon data. The ensemble curves of the hip and knee joint angles were compared to investigate whether the Kinect sensor can consistently and accurately assess lower extremity joint motion throughout the gait cycle. Relative consistency was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Joint angles measured by the Kinect v2 followed the trend of the trajectories made by the Vicon data in both the hip and knee joints in the sagittal plane. The trajectories of the hip and knee joint angles in the frontal plane differed between the Kinect and Vicon data. We observed moderate to high correlation coefficients of 20%–60% of the gait cycle, and the largest difference between Kinect and Vicon data was 4.2°. Kinect v2 time series kinematical data obtained on the flatland are validated if the appropriate correction procedures are performed. Future studies are warranted to examine the reproducibility and systematic bias of the Kinect v2.     

A method to minimise error in 2D-DLT reconstruction of non-planar markers filmed with a moving camera

This article describes a method that allows estimating, with the 2D version of the direct linear transformation (DLT), the actual 2D coordinates of a point when the latter is not strictly in the calibration plane. Markers placed in vertical line, above, below and in the centre of a horizontal calibration plane were filmed by a moving camera. Without correction, strong errors (up to 64.5%) were noticed for markers out of the calibration plane. After correction, calculated coordinates were consistent with actual values (error < 0.55%). The method was then applied to slip distance measurement, using a marker fixed on the hoof of a horse trotting on a calibrated track while being followed with a camera. The correction effect represented 6.6% of slip distance. Combined with the 2D-DLT transformation, the proposed corrective method allows an accurate measurement of slip distances, for high-speed outdoor locomotion analysis, using a moving camera.     

Technical note: out-of-plane angular correction based on a trigonometric function for use in two-dimensional kinematic studies

In two-dimensional (2D) kinematic studies, limb positions in three-dimensional (3D) space observed in lateral view are projected onto a 2D film plane. Elbow and knee-joint angles that are less than 20 degrees out-of-plane of lateral-view cameras generally exhibit very little measurable difference from their 3D counterparts (Plagenhoef 1979 Environment, Behavior, and Morphology; New York: Gustav Fisher, p. 95-118). However, when limb segment angles are more than 20 degrees out-of-plane, as is often the case in locomotor studies of arboreal primates, elbow and knee angles can appear significantly more extended than they actually are. For this reason, a methodology is described that corrects 2D out-of-plane angular estimates using a series of trigonometric transformations.     

Comparison of different camera calibration approaches for underwater applications

The purpose of this study was to compare three camera calibration approaches applied to underwater applications: (1) static control points with nonlinear DLT; (2) moving wand with nonlinear camera model and bundle adjustment; (3) moving plate with nonlinear camera model. The DVideo kinematic analysis system was used for underwater data acquisition. The system consisted of two gen-locked Basler cameras working at 100 Hz, with wide angle lenses that were enclosed in housings. The accuracy of the methods was compared in a dynamic rigid bar test (acquisition volume-4.5×1×1.5 m(3)). The mean absolute errors were 6.19 mm for the nonlinear DLT, 1.16 mm for the wand calibration, 1.20 mm for the 2D plate calibration using 8 control points and 0.73 mm for the 2D plane calibration using 16 control points. The results of the wand and 2D plate camera calibration methods were less associated to the rigid body position in the working volume and provided better accuracy than the nonlinear DLT. Wand and 2D plate camera calibration methods presented similar and highly accurate results, being alternatives for underwater 3D motion analysis.     

Direct comparison of kinematic data collected using an electromagnetic tracking system versus a digital optical system

The purpose of this study was to quantify the dynamic accuracy of kinematics measured by a digital optical motion analysis system in a gait analysis laboratory (capture volume approximately 20m(3)) compared to a standard range direct-current electromagnetic (EM) tracking device (capture volume approximately 1m(3)). This is a subset of a larger effort to establish an appropriate marker set for the optical system to quantify upperlimb kinematics simultaneously with gait, in comparison to previous studies of isolated upperlimb movements that have employed EM tracking devices. Rigid clusters of spherical reflective markers and EM sensors were attached to a mechanical articulator that mimicked three-dimensional joint rotations, similar to the elbow. As the articulator was moved through known ranges of motion (i.e. gold standard), kinematic data were collected simultaneously using both tracking systems. Both systems were tended to underestimate the range of motion; however, the application of post hoc smoothing and least-squares correction algorithms reduced these effects. When smoothing and correction algorithms were used, the magnitude of the mean difference between the gold standard and either the EM or optical system did not exceed 2 degrees for any of the compound motions performed. This level of agreement suggests that the measurements obtained from either system are clinically comparable, provided appropriate smoothing and correction algorithms are employed.     

Understanding implications of detection heterogeneity in wildlife abundance estimation

Negative bias in mark-recapture abundance estimators due to heterogeneity in detection (capture) probability is a well-known problem, but we believe most biologists do not understand why heterogeneity causes bias and how bias can be reduced. We demonstrate how heterogeneity creates dependence and bias in mark-recapture approaches to abundance estimation. In comparison, heterogeneity, and hence estimator bias, is not as problematic for distance sampling and mark-resight methods because both techniques estimate detection probabilities based on a known quantity. We show how the introduction of a known number of individuals planted into a study population prior to a mark-recapture survey can reduce bias from heterogeneity in detection probability. We provide examples with simulation and an analysis of motion-sensitive camera data from a study population of introduced eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) of known size with a subset of telemetered birds. In choosing a method for abundance estimation, careful consideration should be given to assumptions and how heterogeneity in detection probability can be accommodated for each application.     

Markerless 2D kinematic analysis of underwater running: A deep learning approach

Kinematic analysis is often performed with a camera system combined with reflective markers placed over bony landmarks. This method is restrictive (and often expensive), and limits the ability to perform analyses outside of the lab. In the present study, we used a markerless deep learning-based method to perform 2D kinematic analysis of deep water running, a task that poses several challenges to image processing methods. A single GoPro camera recorded sagittal plane lower limb motion. A deep neural network was trained using data from 17 individuals, and then used to predict the locations of markers that approximated joint centres. We found that 300–400 labelled images were sufficient to train the network to be able to position joint markers with an accuracy similar to that of a human labeler (mean difference < 3 pixels, around 1 cm). This level of accuracy is sufficient for many 2D applications, such as sports biomechanics, coaching/training, and rehabilitation. The method was sensitive enough to differentiate between closely-spaced running cadences (45–85 strides per minute in increments of 5). We also found high test–retest reliability of mean stride data, with between-session correlation coefficients of 0.90–0.97. Our approach represents a low-cost, adaptable solution for kinematic analysis, and could easily be modified for use in other movements and settings. Using additional cameras, this approach could also be used to perform 3D analyses. The method presented here may have broad applications in different fields, for example by enabling markerless motion analysis to be performed during rehabilitation, training or even competition environments.     

Accuracy and repeatability of joint angles measured using a single camera markerless motion capture system

Markerless motion capture systems have developed in an effort to evaluate human movement in a natural setting. However, the accuracy and reliability of these systems remain understudied. Therefore, the goals of this study were to quantify the accuracy and repeatability of joint angles using a single camera markerless motion capture system and to compare the markerless system performance with that of a marker-based system. A jig was placed in multiple static postures with marker trajectories collected using a ten camera motion analysis system. Depth and color image data were simultaneously collected from a single Microsoft Kinect camera, which was subsequently used to calculate virtual marker trajectories. A digital inclinometer provided a measure of ground-truth for sagittal and frontal plane joint angles. Joint angles were calculated with marker data from both motion capture systems using successive body-fixed rotations. The sagittal and frontal plane joint angles calculated from the marker-based and markerless system agreed with inclinometer measurements by <0.5°. The systems agreed with each other by <0.5° for sagittal and frontal plane joint angles and <2° for transverse plane rotation. Both systems showed a coefficient of reliability <0.5° for all angles. These results illustrate the feasibility of a single camera markerless motion capture system to accurately measure lower extremity kinematics and provide a first step in using this technology to discern clinically relevant differences in the joint kinematics of patient populations.     

A kinematic and strain gauge study of the reciprocal apparatus in the equine hind limb.

Hind limb kinematics were recorded in five horses at walk and trot using an opto-electronic CODA-3 system. Simultaneously, in vivo strain in the completely tendinous peroneus tertius muscle was registered by implanted mercury-in-silastic strain gauges. The origin-insertion length patterns of the peroneus tertius were calculated from raw kinematic data and from data corrected for the error caused by skin displacement, and compared with the directly measured strain. The strain patterns calculated from externally measured kinematic data appeared to be in accordance with the directly measured strain gauge data. However, a correction for skin displacement is an obligatory prerequisite to obtain reliable results. The amplitudes of strain did not exceed 3% and appeared to be of about the same magnitude at both walk and trot.     

Self-Localization of an Omnidirectional Mobile Robot Based on an Optical Flow Sensor

An omnidirectional mobile robot has the advantage that three degrees of freedom of motion in a 2D plane can be set independently, and it can thus move in arbitrary directions while maintaining the same heading. Dead reckoning is often used for self-localization using onboard sensors in omnidirectional robots, by means of measuring wheel velocities from motor encoder data, as well as in car-like robots. However, omnidirectional mobile robots can easily slip because of the nature of omni-wheels with multiple free rollers, and dead reckoning will not work if even one wheel is not attached to the ground. An odometry method where the data is not affected by wheel slip must be introduced to acquire high quality self-location data for omnidirectional mobile robots. We describe a method to obtain robot ego-motion using camera images and optical flow calculation, i.e., where the camera is used as a velocity sensor. In this paper, a silicon retina vision camera is introduced as a mobile robot sensor, which has a good dynamic range under various lighting conditions. A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) optical flow circuit for the silicon retina is also developed to measure ego-motion of the mobile robot. The developed optical flow calculation system is introduced into a small omnidirectional mobile robot and evaluation experiments for the mobile robot ego-motion are carried out. In the experiments, the accuracy of self-location by the dead reckoning and optical flow methods are evaluated by comparison using motion capture. The results show that the correct position is obtained by the optical flow sensor rather than by dead reckoning.     

A Flexible Calibration Method Using the Planar Target with a Square Pattern for Line Structured Light Vision System

A flexible calibration approach for line structured light vision system is proposed in this paper. Firstly a camera model is established by transforming the points from the 2D image plane to the world coordinate frame, and the intrinsic parameters of camera can be obtained accurately. Then a novel calibration method for structured light projector is presented by moving a planar target with a square pattern randomly, and the method mainly involves three steps: first, a simple linear model is proposed, by which the plane equation of the target at any orientations can be determined based on the square’s geometry information; second, the pixel coordinates of the light stripe center on the target images are extracted as the control points; finally, the points are projected into the camera coordinate frame with the help of the intrinsic parameters and the plane equations of the target, and the structured light plane can be determined by fitting these three-dimensional points. The experimental data show that the method has good repeatability and accuracy.     

Camera Traps Can Be Heard and Seen by Animals

Camera traps are electrical instruments that emit sounds and light. In recent decades they have become a tool of choice in wildlife research and monitoring. The variability between camera trap models and the methods used are considerable, and little is known about how animals respond to camera trap emissions. It has been reported that some animals show a response to camera traps, and in research this is often undesirable so it is important to understand why the animals are disturbed. We conducted laboratory based investigations to test the audio and infrared optical outputs of 12 camera trap models. Camera traps were measured for audio outputs in an anechoic chamber; we also measured ultrasonic (n = 5) and infrared illumination outputs (n = 7) of a subset of the camera trap models. We then compared the perceptive hearing range (n = 21) and assessed the vision ranges (n = 3) of mammals species (where data existed) to determine if animals can see and hear camera traps. We report that camera traps produce sounds that are well within the perceptive range of most mammals’ hearing and produce illumination that can be seen by many species.     

Quantitative comparison of 2D and 3D monitoring dimensions in fish behavior analysis

To improve the accuracy and efficiency of fish behavior assessment, this paper focuses on quantitatively exploring the variations and relationships between different monitoring dimensions. A systematic comparison was conducted between 3D and 2D behavioral factors using an infrared tracing system, during both day and night. Significant differences in swimming distance were observed among the different monitoring methods, as determined by two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. A correction was applied to account for the disparities observed in 2D swimming distance, ensuring accurate measurements. These findings present a cost-effective and efficient approach for obtaining precise 3D distance data. Additionally, a kinematic factor called the “number of U-turns” was proposed to provide a more intuitive characterization of directional changes in fish swimming. Significant differences were observed between 2D and 3D data, with higher percentages of false U-turn counts and missing U-turn counts compared to correct counts in the 2D view. These findings suggest that reducing the monitoring dimension may impact the accurate estimation of swimming motion, potentially resulting in inaccurate outcomes. Finally, the statistical analyses of the non-linear properties of fractal dimension revealed significant differences among the various monitoring methods. This conclusion has practical implications for biologists and physicists, enabling them to improve the accuracy of behavioral phenotyping for organisms exhibiting 3D motion.     

Accuracy of an optical active-marker system to track the relative motion of rigid bodies

The measurement of relative motion between two moving bones is commonly accomplished for in vitro studies by attaching to each bone a series of either passive or active markers in a fixed orientation to create a rigid body (RB). This work determined the accuracy of motion between two RBs using an Optotrak optical motion capture system with active infrared LEDs. The stationary noise in the system was quantified by recording the apparent change in position with the RBs stationary and found to be 0.04 degrees and 0.03 mm. Incremental 10 degrees rotations and 10-mm translations were made using a more precise tool than the Optotrak. Increasing camera distance decreased the precision or increased the range of values observed for a set motion and increased the error in rotation or bias between the measured and actual rotation. The relative positions of the RBs with respect to the camera-viewing plane had a minimal effect on the kinematics and, therefore, for a given distance in the volume less than or close to the precalibrated camera distance, any motion was similarly reliable. For a typical operating set-up, a 10 degrees rotation showed a bias of 0.05 degrees and a 95% repeatability limit of 0.67 degrees. A 10-mm translation showed a bias of 0.03 mm and a 95% repeatability limit of 0.29 mm. To achieve a high level of accuracy it is important to keep the distance between the cameras and the markers near the distance the cameras are focused to during calibration.     

An explanation of fine structure map expansion in terms of excision repair

Summary Fine structure map expansion is a marker effect which can be explained on the basis of the repair of mismatched bases in hybrid DNA. The chance of a mismatched base pair being corrected independently of a closely linked mismatched pair will sharply increase as the distance between the two sites becomes greater than the length of the DNA segment involved in the correction process. The consequences of this explanation are worked out and it is shown that, if it is true, the mapping curve should show three phases: an initial additive phase when the recombining sites are closely linked, a phase of increased slope—map expansion-and a final additive phase of reduced slope beyond the expansion region. Comparison of the initial and final slopes should yield information on the relation between gene conversion and crossing-over. Many sets of experimental data show a clear transition from the initial additive region to that of map expansion, but evidence for the predicted final phase is scanty, possibly because fine structure maps cover too small a region of the chromosome. Using data from genes with known products, estimates can be made of the minimum length of the DNA segments involved in correction. These are calculated as about 40 nucleotides in fission yeast and at least 130 nucleotides in Neurospora.     

How to perform measurements in a hovering animal's wake: physical modelling of the vortex wake of the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta

The vortex wake structure of the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, was investigated using a vortex ring generator. Based on existing kinematic and morphological data, a piston and tube apparatus was constructed to produce circular vortex rings with the same size and disc loading as a hovering hawkmoth. Results show that the artificial rings were initially laminar, but developed turbulence owing to azimuthal wave instability. The initial impulse and circulation were accurately estimated for laminar rings using particle image velocimetry; after the transition to turbulence, initial circulation was generally underestimated. The underestimate for turbulent rings can be corrected if the transition time and velocity profile are accurately known, but this correction will not be feasible for experiments on real animals. It is therefore crucial that the circulation and impulse be estimated while the wake vortices are still laminar. The scaling of the ring Reynolds number suggests that flying animals of about the size of hawkmoths may be the largest animals whose wakes stay laminar for long enough to perform such measurements during hovering. Thus, at low advance ratios, they may be the largest animals for which wake circulation and impulse can be accurately measured.