Jim Usherwood
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Jim is a Research Fellow in the Structure and Motion Lab. Jim's research interests cover the mechanics of both terrestrial and aerial locomotion. See his website for detail on his research.
I am now looking for a research technician for my Wellcome project. If interested see, contact me or wait for the official advertisements that will be linked from here.
Research
Jim's research interests cover the mechanics of both terrestrial and aerial locomotion. He has projects on the mechanics of walking in birds and toddlers (BBSRC), and cooperative aerodynamics and radio-based animal localisation 'CARDyAL' (EPSRC). He is about to begin a 5-year ‘Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship in Basic Biomedical Science’ to determine the fundamental strategies and constraints of powering locomotion with muscle using limbs that also provide weight support, making use of the altered effective gravity experienced by circle-flying pigeons and terrestrial animals in a centrifuge.
Selected Publications
USHERWOOD, J.R., STAVROU, M., LOWE, J.C., ROSKILLY, K. AND WILSON, A.M. (2011). Flying in a flock comes at a cost in pigeons. Nature 474, 494-497. doi:10.1038/nature10164. Not open access: see Link
See also my website
USHERWOOD, J.R. (2010) Inverted pendular running: a novel gait predicted by computer optimization is found between walk and run in birds. Biol Lett. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0256. Open access: see Link
DALEY, M.A. & USHERWOOD, J.R. (2010) Two explanations for the compliant running paradox: reduced work of bouncing viscera and increased stability in uneven terrain. Biol Lett. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2010.0175. Open access: see Link
USHERWOOD, J. R. (2009) Inertia may limit efficiency of slow flapping flight, but mayflies show a strategy for reducing the power requirements of loiter. Bioinspir Biomim 4, 15003. PubMed ID 19258692
WILLIAMS, S. B., TAN, H., USHERWOOD, J. R. & WILSON, A. M. (2009) Pitch then power: limitations to acceleration in quadrupeds. Biol Lett 5, 610-613. PubMed ID 19553249
WILLIAMS, S. B., USHERWOOD, J. R., JESPERS, K., CHANNON, A. J. & WILSON, A. M. (2009) Exploring the mechanical basis for acceleration: pelvic limb locomotor function during accelerations in racing greyhounds (Canis familiaris). J Exp Biol 212, 550-565. PubMed ID 19181903
USHERWOOD, J. R. (2008). The aerodynamic forces and pressure distribution of a revolving pigeon wing. Exp. Fluids. DOI 10.1007/s00348-008-0596-z. Paper.pdf.
USHERWOOD, J. R., SZYMANEK, K. L. and DALEY, M. A. (2008). Compass gait mechanics account for top walking speeds in ducks and humans. J. Exp. Biol., 211, 3744-3749.
USHERWOOD, J. R. & LEHMANN, F. -O. (2008) Phasing of dragonfly wings can improve aerodynamic efficiency by removing swirl. J R Soc Interface 5, 1303-1307.PubMed ID 18477538
USHERWOOD, J. R. (2008) Collared doves Streptopelia decaocto display with high, near-maximal muscle powers, but at low energetic cost. J. Avian Biol. 39, 19-23.
USHERWOOD, J. R., WILLIAMS, S. B. & WILSON, A. M. (2007) Mechanics of dog walking compared with a passive, stiff-limbed, 4-bar linkage model, and their collisional implications. J Exp Biol 210, 533-540. PubMed ID 17234623
HEDRICK, T. L., USHERWOOD, J. R. & BIEWENER, A. A. (2007) Low speed maneuvering flight of the rose-breasted cockatoo (Eolophus roseicapillus). II. Inertial and aerodynamic reorientation. J Exp Biol 210, 1912-1924. PubMed ID 17515417
USHERWOOD, J. R. & WILSON, A. M. (2006) Accounting for elite indoor 200 m sprint results. Biol Lett 2, 47-50. PubMed ID 17148323
DALEY, M. A., USHERWOOD, J. R., FELIX, G. & BIEWENER, A. A. (2006) Running over rough terrain: guinea fowl maintain dynamic stability despite a large unexpected change in substrate height. J Exp Biol 209, 171-187. PubMed ID 16354788
USHERWOOD, J. R. & WILSON, A. M. (2005) Biomechanics: no force limit on greyhound sprint speed. Nature 438, 753-754. PubMed ID 16341003
USHERWOOD, J. R., HEDRICK, T. L., MCGOWAN, C. P. & BIEWENER, A. A. (2005) Dynamic pressure maps for wings and tails of pigeons in slow, flapping flight, and their energetic implications. J Exp Biol 208, 355-369. PubMed ID 15634854
USHERWOOD, J. R. (2005) Why not walk faster? Biol Lett 1, 338-341. PubMed ID 17148201
MCGOWAN, C. P., BAUDINETTE, R. V., USHERWOOD, J. R. & BIEWENER, A. A. (2005) The mechanics of jumping versus steady hopping in yellow-footed rock wallabies. J Exp Biol 208, 2741-2751. PubMed ID 16000543
HEDRICK, T. L., USHERWOOD, J. R. & BIEWENER, A. A. (2004) Wing inertia and whole-body acceleration: an analysis of instantaneous aerodynamic force production in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) flying across a range of speeds. J Exp Biol 207, 1689-1702. PubMed ID 15073202
USHERWOOD, J. R., LARSON, S. G. & BERTRAM, J. E. (2003) Mechanisms of force and power production in unsteady ricochetal brachiation. Am J Phys Anthropol 120, 364-372. PubMed ID 12627531
USHERWOOD, J. R., HEDRICK, T. L. & BIEWENER, A. A. (2003) The aerodynamics of avian take-off from direct pressure measurements in Canada geese (Branta canadensis). J Exp Biol 206, 4051-4056. PubMed ID 14555745
USHERWOOD, J. R. & BERTRAM, J. E. (2003) Gait transition cost in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 90, 647-650. PubMed ID 14564525
USHERWOOD, J. R. & BERTRAM, J. E. (2003) Understanding brachiation: insight from a collisional perspective. J Exp Biol 206, 1631-1642. PubMed ID 12682095
USHERWOOD, J. R. & ELLINGTON, C. P. (2002) The aerodynamics of revolving wings II. Propeller force coefficients from mayfly to quail. J Exp Biol 205, 1565-1576. PubMed ID 12000801
USHERWOOD, J. R. & ELLINGTON, C. P. (2002) The aerodynamics of revolving wings I. Model hawkmoth wings. J Exp Biol 205, 1547-1564. PubMed ID 12000800
USHERWOOD, J.R. (2002). Aerodynamics and energetics of animal flight based on propeller models. PhD thesis, Cambridge University. [pdf]
ELLINGTON, C.P. and USHERWOOD, J.R. (2001). Lift and drag characteristics of rotary and flapping wings. In: Fixed and flapping wing aerodynamics for micro air vehicle applications. Ed: Mueller, T.J. Progress in astronautics and aeronautics. 195, 231-246.
USHERWOOD, J.R., ENNOS, A.R. and BALL, D.J. (1997). Mechanical and anatomical adaptations in terrestrial and aquatic buttercups to their respective environments. J. Exp. Bot. 48, 1469-1475.
BOOK CHAPTERS
USHERWOOD, J. R. (2008). Running, hopping and skipping: animal locomotion. In: The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Natural World. Ed. Benton, M.J., Thames Hudson.
USHERWOOD, J. R. (2008). Flying and walking: learning from nature. In: The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Natural World. Ed. Benton, M.J., Thames Hudson.