Animal Locomotion Lecture Videos

This web page offers links to the lecture content for an animal locomotion course (Bio Sci E139) developed by Manny Azizi and Matt McHenry (Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Irvine) in 2020. The course covers the subject over a 10-week quarter.

Week 1: Forces and scaling

W1L0: Course introduction

W1L1: The scientific method

Week 2: Motor systems and muscles

W2L1: Intro to motor systems

W2L2: Muscle force

W2L3: Force-length 1

W2L4: Force-length 2

W2L5: Force-velocity

Week 3: Muscle structure and elastic mechanisms

W3L1: Force transmission

W3L2: Muscle architecture

W3L3: Work loops

W3L4: Elastic mechanisms

Week 4: Skeletons

W4L1: Displacement advantage

W4L2: Mechanical advantage

W4L3: Soft skeletons

W4L4: Helical winding

Week 5: Fluid dynamics 1

W5L1: Jumping and gliding

W5L2: Viscous drag

W5L3: Pressure drag

W5L4: Reynolds number

Week 6: Fluid dynamics 2

W6L1: Bumblebee paradox

W6L2: Unsteady mechanisms

W6L3: Large-scale thrust

W6L4: Small-scale thrust

Week 7: Walking and running

W7L1: A simple walking model

W7L2: A simple model of running

W7L3: Moving with an extrinsic load

Week 8: Gaits, speed, and posture

W8L1: Gaits and gait transitions

Week 9: Proprioception and reflexes

W9L1: Proprioception

W9L2: Reflexes and CPGs

Week 10: Control

W10L1: Control of locomotion