Tom Weihmann
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View article: Understanding the ant’s unique biting system can improve surgical needle holders
Understanding the ant’s unique biting system can improve surgical needle holders Open
Mechanical grasping and holding devices depend upon a firm and controlled grip. The possibility to improve this gripping performance is severely limited by the need for miniaturization in many applications, such as robotics, microassembly,…
View article: Morphological, functional, and phylogenetic aspects of the head capsule of the cockroach<i>Ergaula capucina</i>(Insecta/Blattodea)
Morphological, functional, and phylogenetic aspects of the head capsule of the cockroach<i>Ergaula capucina</i>(Insecta/Blattodea) Open
Background Cockroaches are usually typical omnivorous detritivores and their cephalic morphology is considered to be ancestral in various aspects. Thus, several studies addressed the morphology and function of the blattodean head, and the …
View article: The Smooth Transition From Many-Legged to Bipedal Locomotion—Gradual Leg Force Reduction and its Impact on Total Ground Reaction Forces, Body Dynamics and Gait Transitions
The Smooth Transition From Many-Legged to Bipedal Locomotion—Gradual Leg Force Reduction and its Impact on Total Ground Reaction Forces, Body Dynamics and Gait Transitions Open
Most terrestrial animals move with a specific number of propulsive legs, which differs between clades. The reasons for these differences are often unknown and rarely queried, despite the underlying mechanisms being indispensable for unders…
View article: The smooth transition from many-legged to bipedal locomotion - Gradual ground force reduction and its impact on total ground reaction forces, body dynamics and gait transitions
The smooth transition from many-legged to bipedal locomotion - Gradual ground force reduction and its impact on total ground reaction forces, body dynamics and gait transitions Open
Most terrestrial animals move with a specific number of propulsive legs, which differs between clades. The reasons for these differences are often unknown and rarely queried, despite the underlying mechanisms being indispensable for unders…
View article: Rules of nature’s<i>Formula Run</i>: Muscle mechanics during late stance is the key to explaining maximum running speed
Rules of nature’s<i>Formula Run</i>: Muscle mechanics during late stance is the key to explaining maximum running speed Open
The maximum running speed of legged animals is one evident factor for evolutionary selection—for predators and prey. Therefore, it has been studied across the entire size range of animals, from the smallest mites to the largest elephants, …
View article: Species richness and composition are not sufficient for determining the functionality of ancient ecosystems
Species richness and composition are not sufficient for determining the functionality of ancient ecosystems Open
Taking into account the effect of climatic changes over the last few millions of years on fauna both worldwide and in eastern Africa, hardly anyone would challenge the ecosystem shift addressed recently by Faith et al. (1). In eastern Afri…
View article: Leg force interference in polypedal locomotion
Leg force interference in polypedal locomotion Open
When leg number increases, COM oscillations decline more quickly with increasing deviations from alternating leg coordination.
View article: Leg force interference in poly-pedal locomotion
Leg force interference in poly-pedal locomotion Open
The examination of gaits and gait-changes have been the focus of movement physiology and legged robot engineering since the first emergence of the fields. While most examinations focussed on bipedal and quadrupedal designs many robotic imp…
View article: Speed dependent phase shifts and gait changes in cockroaches running on substrates of different slipperiness
Speed dependent phase shifts and gait changes in cockroaches running on substrates of different slipperiness Open
Temporally distributed leg force application as resulting from metachronal leg coordination at high running speeds may be particularly useful in animals with limited capabilities for elastic energy storage within the legs, as energy effici…
View article: The cephalic morphology of the American cockroach Periplaneta americana (Blattodea)
The cephalic morphology of the American cockroach Periplaneta americana (Blattodea) Open
The skeleto-muscular system of the head of the American cockroach Periplaneta americana is described in detail. The results are compared with previous partial descriptions of the cephalic morphology of this species and other dictyopterans.…