| |
|
 |
| |
|
Audrone
Biknevicius, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy
Chair, Department of Biomedical Sciences
biknevic@ohiou.edu
125 Life Sciences Building
Office: 740-593-0487
Fax: 740-593-1730 |
|
|
Research Interests: |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Developmental Locomotor Biodynamics in
Mammals: Locomotor development is being
evaluated in domestic dogs. Animals are
encouraged to run along a runway into which
a Kistler force platform is integrated.
Synchronous high-speed videography (250 f/s,
with a MotionScope500 camera) is used to
evaluate limb posture and to match limb
kinematics with force records using a Peak
Performance system. Plain film radiographs
are used to reconstruct the effective
mechanical advantage about the tibiotarsal
joint and the cross-sectional geometry of
tibial diaphyses in order to estimate bone
stress levels in the tibiae. This study is
support by a grant from the National Science
Foundation. |
4-month old
Labrador retriever galloping down an
instrumented runway. |
| |
|
|
| |
Evolution of Locomotor Posture in
Terrestrial Vertebrates: Recent
development of miniature force platforms
together with
Steve Reilly (Ohio University), based on
a design by John Bertram, has expanded the
scope of locomotor evaluation possible at
Ohio University. They provide a maximum of 4
platforms shown here in series, and, hence,
enable the capture of force records by
simultaneous footfalls on separate plates.
These force platforms are being used to
evaluate the sprawling-to-erect paradigm in
terrestrial vertebrates. The study is
supported by a grant from National Science
Foundation; part of the Alligator
locomotor biodynamics study forms the basis
for Jeff Willey's Masters thesis. |
Juvenile
alligator walking across a series of four
force plates. |
| |
|
|
| |
Biomechanics of the Feeding Apparatus in
Mammals: My work on the feeding
apparatus of placental carnivores applies
standard engineering principles to the
evaluation of structure and function of jaws
and teeth. Structural patterns observed in
extant carnivorans are used to reconstruct
plausible feeding function in extinct
carnivores, such as saber-toothed cats. My
collaborators on these studies include
Blaire Van Valkenburgh (UCLA), Chris
Ruff (Johns Hopkins University) and
Steve Leigh (University of Illinois,
Urbana). Furthermore, graduate student
Elicia Thompson is exploring the
relationship between craniofacial geometry
and bite force generation in Monodelphis. |
Greaves' model
of bite force development in Crocuta
(spotted hyena) (Biknevicius, 1996, Can.
J. Zool. 74) |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
