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Daley's research team investigates how animals achieve versatile, stable and agile terrestrial locomotion in complex environments. We use ground birds as a model system for investigating these issues, because they are a diverse group of bipedal animals that span a large size range from tiny 35 gram painted quail to ostriches over 100 kg. Yet, they all use striding bipedal gaits that are mechanically similar to human walking and running. By investigating locomotor behaviour in ground birds, Daley's team strives to reveal basic principles of how body size and leg morphology influence bipedal locomotion. Current projects in the lab focus on the mechanics and energetics of walking and running over uneven ground (terrain with obstacles or holes).
This research is at the interface of muscle physiology, neural control, mechanics and energetics. We use an integrative approach that combines biomechanics, physiology, and computer simulations of animal locomotion. The findings from this research can help us understand natural animal behaviours, evolution of leg morphology, and injury mechanisms in domestic and wild species. This research can also provide insight into health and welfare issues including gait pathologies in broiler chickens and trip recovery strategies in humans. The findings can also inspire novel robot and prosthetic designs, and we are collaborating with researchers in these fields to translate biological principles into technological applications.
Dr Daley and Dr Spence co-organised a session at the Annual Main Meeting for the Society for Experimental Biology on the 'Integration of Passive and Active Control Mechanisms in Locomotion'. Thanks to all of the speakers and attendees who made it a lively and inspiring discussion!
PhD student Aleksandra Birn-Jeffery won 3rd place in the General Biomechanics division at SEB for her poster 'Coping mechanisms for rough terrain running in Common Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)'.
A paper in the Journal of Physiology (Daley et al. 2009) demonstrates that leg posture and intrinsic muscle mechanics help stabilise running in uneven terrain without active neural control.
Are you interested in joining Monica's research team? We are always interested in hearing from motivated students! Please contact Monica to find out more about current projects available. |
Monica graduated in 2000 with a BSc in Biology from the University of Utah. It was here that Monica was inspired to pursue a career in research, through her undergraduate project on locomotor-ventilatory integration in human running with Dennis Bramble and David Carrier. This experience also initiated her long-standing fascination in the interplay of mechanics and neural control. Monica went on to spend a year as a research technician in the lab of Franz Goller, investigating the motor control of singing in zebra finches. She completed an MA in 2003 at Harvard University, then undertook a PhD in the mechanics and neuromuscular control of running in birds with Andrew Biewener at the Concord Field Station of Harvard University. After completing her PhD in 2006, she spent a little over a year as a postdoctoral researcher with Dan Ferris in the Human Neuromechanics Laboratory at the University of Michigan, as a National Science Foundation Fellow in Biological Informatics. She came to the RVC in January 2008.
PhD, Harvard University, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
MA, Harvard University, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
BSc (Hons), University of Utah, Biology with Chemistry minor (High Honours)
Daley, M.A., Voloshina and A., Biewener, A.A. (2009) The role of intrinsic muscle mechanics in the neuromuscular control of stable running in the guinea fowl. Journal of Physiology. 587: 2693-2707. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2009.171017.
Usherwood, J.R., Szymanek, K.L. and Daley, M. A. (2008) Compass gait mechanics account for top walking speeds in ducks and humans. Journal of Experimental Biology 211, 3744-3749
Daley, M.A. (2008) Biomechanics: Running over uneven terrain is a no-brainer. Current Biology 18, R1064-R1066.
Pelc, E. H., Daley, M.A. and Ferris, D. P. (2008) Resonant hopping of a robot controlled by an artificial neural oscillator. Bioinspiration and Biomimetics. 3(2):26001. Epub 2008 Mar 27.
Ferris, D.P., Sawicki, G.S., Daley, M.A. (2007) A physiologist's perspective on robotic exoskeletons for human locomotion. International Journal of Humanoid Robotics. 4, 507-528. DOI: 10.1142/S0219843607001138.
Biewener, A. A. and Daley, M. A. (2007) Unsteady locomotion: integrating muscle function with whole body dynamics and neuromuscular control. Journal of Experimental Biology. 210, 2949-2960.
Nishikawa, K., Biewener, A. A., Aert, P., Ahn, A.N., Chiel, H.J., Daley, M.A., Daniel, T.L., Full, R.J., Hale, M. E., Hedrick, T.L., Lappin, A.K., Nichols, T.R., Quinn, R.D., Ritzmann, R.E., Satterlie, R.A. and Szymik B. (2007) Neuromechanics: An integrative approach for understanding motor control. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 47: 16-54.
Daley, M. A., Felix, G. and Biewener, A. A. (2007). Running stability is enhanced by a proximo-distal gradient in joint neuromechanical control. Journal of Experimental Biology. 210, 383-394.
Daley, M. A. and Biewener, A. A. (2006). Running over rough terrain reveals limb control for intrinsic stability. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 103, 15681-15686. (PDF)
Daley, M. and Goller, F. (2004). Tracheal length changes during zebra finch song and their possible role in upper vocal tract filtering. Journal of Neurobiology 59, 319-330. (PDF)
Daley, M. A. and Biewener, A. A. (2003). Muscle force-length dynamics during level versus incline locomotion: a comparison of in vivo performance of two guinea fowl ankle extensors. Journal of Experimental Biology 206, 2941-2958. (PDF)
Goller, F. and Daley, M. A. (2001). Novel motor gestures for phonation during inspiration enhance the acoustic complexity of birdsong. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B-Biological Sciences 268, 2301-2305. (PDF)
Birn-Jeffery, A. V. and Daley, M. A. (2009). Coping mechanisms for rough terrain running in Common Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 153, S137-S138. Annual Main Meeting for the Society for Experimental Biology. Glasgow, Scotland. 3rd place, Best Biomechanics Poster Award.
Daley, M.A., Righetti, L. and Ijspeert, A.J. (2009). Modelling the interplay of central pattern generation and sensory feedback in the neuromuscular control of running. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 153, S135. Annual Main Meeting for the Society for Experimental Biology. Glasgow, Scotland.
Paxton, H. Hutchinson, J.R., Corr, S.A., and Daley, M.A. (2009) Chickens on the cheap: Broiler chicken walking mechanics. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 153, S118. Annual Main Meeting for the Society for Experimental Biology. Glasgow, Scotland.
Daley, M.A. (2008) Intrinsic and neural contributions to muscular control of stable running in the guinea fowl (Numida Meleagris). Integrative and Comparative Biology 47 (1), e25. Annual Meeting for the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology. San Antonio, Texas.
Daley M. A. and Biewener A. A. (2007). Load dependent force-length performance of distal hindlimb muscles supports a proximo-distal gradient in limb neuromechanical control. Annual Main Meeting for the Society for Experimental Biology. Glasgow, Scotland. 2nd place, Best Biomechanics Talk Award
Daley, M. A. (2007). Muscle force and mechanical energy output during stabilization in running birds. Dynamic Walking: Principles and Concepts of Legged Locomotion. Mariehamn, Åland.
Daley M. A. and Biewener A. A. (2006). Linking muscle-tendon dynamics to limb control and running stability. Proceedings of the 5th World Congress of Biomechanics. Munich, Germany.
Daley, M. A. (2006). Animal Biomechanics: Running over rough terrain. Dynamic Walking: Mechanics and control of human and robot locomotion. Ann Arbor Michigan.
Daley, M. A. (2005). The role of limb posture in stabilising bipedal locomotion over uneven terrain. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A 141, S127. Annual Main Meeting for the Society for Experimental Biology. Barcelona, Spain.
Daley, M. A. and Biewener, A. A. (2005). Dynamic stability in a rough environment: The influence of initial limb posture on body dynamics during an unexpected perturbation. ISB XXth Congress - ASB 29th Annual Meeting. 819. Cleveland, Ohio.
Daley, M. A. (2004). Running in a rough environment: The mechanical influence of limb posture and ankle extensor dynamics on stability in running guinea fowl. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A 137, S90. Annual Main Meeting for the Society for Experimental Biology. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Daley, M. A., Bramble, D. M. and Carrier, D. R. (2004). Locomotion and ventilation in humans: Are they really mechanically independent? Journal of Morphology 260, 286.
Daley, M. A. (2003). Dynamics of ankle extensor function during stabilization in running guinea fowl. Integrative and Comparative Biology 43, 890.
Daley, M. A. and Biewener, A. A. (2003). In vivo performance of guinea fowl ankle extensors in relation to locomotor mechanics and stabilization. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A 134, S46.
Daley, M. A. (2002). Muscle work versus muscle force: in vivo function of avian ankle extensors. Proceedings of the 4th World Congress of Biomechanics. Calgary, Canada.
Daley, M. A. and Biewener, A. A. (2001). Redistribution of joint work during acceleration and deceleration in an avian biped. 25th Annual meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, San Diego.
Daley, M. A. and Goller, F. (2000). Tracheal length changes and upper vocal tract resonances during zebra finch song. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting Abstracts Volume.
Daley, M. A. and Bramble, D. M. (1999). Mechanical interactions between locomotion and ventilation in humans. American Zoologist 39, 105A.
Structure and Motion Lab These pages maintained by the SML Contact: Alan Wilson
