US Partnering Award- Robotic models for studying the musculoskeletal systems and bio-inspired design
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Liverpool
Department Name: Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Ariel Camp (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | We discovered that ligaments and cartilage play an important role in the mobility of frogfish fins. Previous work has focused on how the bones and muscles of these fins allow frogfish to use their hand-like fins to grip and move over smooth sand, soft sponges, or rocky corals-all in essentially micro-gravity, since the water supports most of their weight. However, we looked at the joints linking the fins to the body, and therefore determining the fin's mobility. We found the architecture of cartilage and ligaments in these joints-rather than the bones-is crucial for allowing frogfish to use a wide range of fin positions. |
| Exploitation Route | Our research on frogfish fins may be taken forward to develop robotic vehicles that move across varying terrain or in the micro-gravity of outer space. And our data can be used to improve undergraduate and postgraduate education in musculoskeletal biology, biomedical visualisation, and robotics by providing a digitally-accessible and visually engaging dataset. |
| Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Education |
| Description | The research from this project has so far contributed to training undergraduate and postgraduate students in biology, visualisation, and robotics. Participating in gathering and analysing this dataset provided international, multidisciplinary training for a postgraduate student, allowing them to develop valuable skills in 3D data visualisation, collaboration, and communication. I have also used this dataset to provide an authentic research experience to an undergraduate student. It provides an engaging and exciting introduction to medical imaging, 3D computer visualisation, and the biology of bones and joints. Providing these biological and research skills contributes to training a skilled scientific workforce. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Education |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | Investigating the multiscale mechanics of grasping in animals and its applications to bioinspired design |
| Amount | £7,580 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 1270670490 |
| Organisation | British Council |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2025 |
| End | 12/2025 |
| Description | Learning from expandable armored skin of pufferfish: the dynamic of hard-soft interfaces |
| Amount | $1,200,000 (USD) |
| Funding ID | RGEC26/2023 |
| Organisation | International Human Frontier Science Program Organization |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | France |
| Start | 11/2023 |
| End | 10/2026 |
| Description | Special Session at Annual Meeting |
| Amount | £2,400 (GBP) |
| Organisation | The Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2022 |
| End | 07/2022 |
| Title | Commerson's Frogfish data for Camp, 2021 |
| Description | Biplanar x-ray videos of natural feeding behaviours and computed tomography (CT) scans from 6 Commerson's frogfish (Antennarius commerson) for visualising and measuring 3D vertebral bone and muscle motion |
| Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This dataset has supported a publication (Camp, 2021) and provided preliminary data for my ongoing collaboration (funded by the BBSRC US Partnering Award) with Dr. Flammang. |
| URL | https://xmaportal.org/webportal/larequest.php?request=CollectionView&StudyID=2&instit=ULIVERPOOL&col... |
| Description | Musculorobotics Symposium |
| Organisation | The Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I and co-PI Brooke Flammang co-organised an international symposium on the use of robotic models to study the musculoskeletal systems of animals, as well as how studying animals can help us design better robots. We invited 4 international, interdisciplinary, diverse speakers, solicited and reviewed abstracts for 9 additional talks from a wide range of speakers (including postgraduate and early-career researchers), and facilitated 2-days of presentations. We also shared the messages and promoted these talks through social media. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The particpating researchers presented a wide range of work, e.g., including in vivo experimental studies, computer modelling, biology-engineering collaboration methods, and spanning the scale from whole organisms to single cells. They participated in Q&A, poster, and network sessions to facilitate sharing of ideas and building international networks. |
| Impact | This collaborative workshop brought together experts in engineering and biology, laying the foundation for future collaborations and outputs. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | XROMM Users Group |
| Organisation | Brown University |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Contributing feedback, sharing workflows, and beta-testing new tools for data analysis, visualisation, and data management |
| Collaborator Contribution | International network of researchers using and developing tools for x-ray reconstruction of moving morphology (XROMM), including data management tools, open-source software alternatives, and encouraging the re-use of existing datasets to reduce the additional use of live animal work |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary across computer science, medicine, and biology |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blog post on conference research topics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Created a blog post of text and illustrations describing research topics and engagement during a virtual conference that I attended as part of this project. This sparked questions and discussion (via Twitter) from the broader community about the pros and cons of virtual conferences, and allowed me to share and promote international research in biomechanics |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://livevomorphbiomech.wordpress.com/2021/02/26/notes-from-a-virtual-conference/ |
| Description | Community Science Project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Worked with 12 year-9 students from Widenting Participation schools in Merseyside to facilitate them designing and running and hands-on activities based on my x-ray imaging research. The activity was presented to other students (~40) and local researchers, and led to discussions about research careers. This was done in collaboration with two postgraduate students at Liverpool, providing them with engagement training. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School of Biosciences Open Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Participated in Open Day event for the University of Liverpool's School of Biosciences, particularly highlighting my work on biomechanics and using my research products (videos, 3D models) to 50 prospective undergraduate students and their families. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Talk at Canadian Museum of Nature |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 40 people--including postgraduate students and members of the public from the US and Canada--attended an online talk about my research, hosted by the Canadian Museum of Nature. Questions and discussion followed about how my work connects with both evolutionary biology and human health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |