Leaping lizards and running rats

Given the positive feedback and interest in our POV of a ferret running on a treadmill, we’ve upped the ante here at the Best Feet Forward lab.  We proudly present two more GoPro POV movies of our magnificent animals running for science.  Would you like to see a running Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) and lab rat (Rattus norvegicus)?  Of course you would.

Above you see Greenbeard running for science.  We’re shaking a tasty bucket of crickets off-camera to get him to run.

Above you see one of our lab rats, Frank, also running for science.  If you look closely you can see the reflective beads attached to him that we follow with the infrared OptiTrack camera system.

Bridget Kuhlman is once again thanked for her brilliant camera work.

Why do we do what we do?

Forelimb kinematics research off and running in the BFF Lab

Just a brief note: our forelimb kinematics research on lizards and mammals is off and running (pun intended) in the BFF Locomotion Lab.  This semester, several teams of undergrads from biology and physics are working with myself and Dr. Jason Shulman (Physics) on a variety of projects to explore the typical range of motion and posture in lizard and mammal forelimbs.

Corey Barnes (left) and Alex Lauffer are working with bearded dragon lizards to determine the typical range of motion in their forelimbs.

A close up of one of our bearded dragons, decked out with optical tracking markers.

Undergrad Bridget Kuhlman coaxing one of our ferrets, “Mocha,” with ferret treats to walk on the treadmill.

The BFF Lab is thriving thanks to the help of NAMS lab staff.  We particularly want to thank Justine Ciraolo, Chrissy Schairer, Bill Harron, Mike Farrell, and Mike Santoro for their invaluable help in acquiring lab space and with technical assistance, and Deanne Gipple for help with student safety and animal welfare training.  None of this would occur without the assistance and animal care provided by John Rokita and the animal lab staff and volunteers.  We also thank NAMS Dean Dennis Weiss and the Biology and Physics programs for their continued support and assistance with our research endeavors.  Finally, we give a special “shout out” to the Stockton Federation of Teachers for their strong encouragement of faculty research “without walls.”  Thanks everyone!

The Best Feet Forward (BFF) Locomotion Lab

My lab, the Best Feet Forward (BFF) Locomotion Lab, now has it’s own page and a Twitter account, @BFFLocomotion.  Follow us as we follow animals in motion!