Structure and Motion Laboratory

People

Dr Glen Lichtwark

A man standing in front of a mountainous landscape Glen graduated with a BSc (Hons) from the university of Queensland, Australia, in the field of Human Movement Science. He has finished his PhD (2005), conducting comparative biomechanics research both at the Structure and Motion lab and the Institute of Human Performance (UCL). He is interested in the role of the muscle-tendon unit in movement production and mechanisms by which movement is controlled, particularly the role of elasticity and biarticular muscles in control of movement. He graduated in 2006, we wish him all the very best for the future.

Glen graduated in 2005 and has returned to Australia to conduct further research at Griffith University (http://www.griffith.edu.au/school/pes/ppages/lichtwark.html).

Contact email: g.lichtwark at griffith.edu.au

Glen at his PhD graduation

Publications and Theses

Lichtwark, G.A., Bougoulias, K., & Wilson, A.M. (2006) Muscle fibre and series elastic element length changes along the length of the gastrocnemius during walking and running. Journal of Biomechanics . In Press. [PDF]
Lichtwark, G.A. & Wilson, A.M. (2005) In vivo mechanical properties of the human Achilles tendon during one-legged hopping . Journal of Experimental Biology . 208 (24), 4715-4725. [PDF]
Lichtwark, G.A. & Wilson, A.M. (2005) Effects of series elasticity and activation conditions on muscle power output and efficiency. Journal of Experimental Biology . 208 (15), 2845-2853. [PDF]
Lichtwark, G.A. & Wilson, A.M. (2005) A modified Hill muscle model that predicts muscle power output and efficiency during sinusoidal length changes. Journal of Experimental Biology . 208 (15), 2831-2843. [PDF]
Wilson, A.M., Watson, J.C., Lichtwark, G.A. (2003) A catapult action for rapid limb protraction. Nature, 421, 35-36. [PDF]
Lichtwark, G.A.. (2005). The role of muscle-tendon unit elasticity in real life activaties.. PhD thesis, University College London. [PDF]

Research Interests

Muscle power vs muscle efficiency
The role of muscle elasticity in the control of movement
Control with multi-articular muscles
Forward dynamic modelling
Image processing and 3D reconstruction

Resources

Animations of real-time ultrasonography of the Achilles tendon-gastrocnemius junction and stick figure animation of Achilles tendon strain during one-legged hopping available in the Journal of Experimental Biology supplementary information section - http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/208/24/4715/DC1

Video files with real time ultrasonography of the meidal gastrocnemius muscle fasciles during walking and running are available in the SML gallery.

Ainmations of equine forelimb models, developed in SIMM (as pictured below), are also available in the SML gallery.

Model of the equine forelimb

Ultrasound of gastrocnemius muscle fascicles

Full quality images available upon request. Copyright Structure and Motion Lab, The Royal Veterinary College.

Structure and Motion Lab These pages maintained by the SML Contact: Alan Wilson