Surrogate: A Body-Dexterous Mobile Manipulation Robot with a Tracked Base

Robotics platforms in accordance with various embodiments of the invention can be utilized to implement highly dexterous robots capable of whole body motion. Robotics platforms in accordance with one embodiment of the invention include: a memory containing a whole body motion application; a spine, where the spine has seven degrees of freedom and comprises a spine actuator and three spine elbow joints that each include two spine joint actuators; at least one limb, where the at least one limb comprises a limb actuator and three limb elbow joints that each include two limb joint actuators; a tracked base; a connecting structure that connects the at least one limb to the spine; a second connecting structure that connects the spine to the tracked base; wherein the processor is configured by the whole body motion application to move the at least one limb and the spine to perform whole body motion

Robotics Platforms Incorporating Manipulators Having Common Joint Designs

Manipulators in accordance with various embodiments of the invention can be utilized to implement statically stable robots capable of both dexterous manipulation and versatile mobility. Manipulators in accordance with one embodiment of the invention include: an azimuth actuator; three elbow joints that each include two actuators that are offset to allow greater than 360 degree rotation of each joint; a first connecting structure that connects the azimuth actuator and a first of the three elbow joints; a second connecting structure that connects the first elbow joint and a second of the three elbow joints; a third connecting structure that connects the second elbow joint to a third of the three elbow joints; and an end-effector interface connected to the third of the three elbow joints

Comparative Triceps Surae Morphology in Primates: A Review

Primate locomotor evolution, particularly the evolution of bipedalism, is often examined through morphological studies. Many of these studies have examined the uniqueness of the primate forelimb, and others have examined the primate hip and thigh. Few data exist, however, regarding the myology and function of the leg muscles, even though the ankle plantar flexors are highly important during human bipedalism. In this paper, we draw together data on the fiber type and muscle mass variation in the ankle plantar flexors of primates and make comparisons to other mammals. The data suggest that great apes, atelines, and lorisines exhibit similarity in the mass distribution of the triceps surae. We conclude that variation in triceps surae may be related to the shared locomotor mode exhibited by these groups and that triceps surae morphology, which approaches that of humans, may be related to frequent use of semiplantigrade locomotion and vertical climbing

The social behaviour and ecology of Indri Indri

A period of 15 months was spent studying the behaviour and ecology of Indri indri in the eastern rain-forest of Madagascar. Two groups were habituated to the observer and followed every six weeks for a complete year. Quantitatives sampling techniques were developed which allowed several animals' behaviour to be simultaneously recorded. Surveys were conducted in three areas of different botanical and topographical structure and censuses performed both at the beginning and end of the study. Some behavioural properties of a population of Indri were investigated in one study site by collecting data on vocal interactions between approximately 40 groups. The maintenance activities of the species are described and assessed. Seasonal and individual variation in behaviour are compared both in the groups studied and with other species. Social behaviour is analysed (1) by measures of animal interaction and (2) in terms of the inter-dependence of some individuals' behaviour with others. Measures of spacing and feeding are shown to be suitable to this approach. Evidence for the territoriality of the species is presented and its adaptive qualities considered. The roles of territory definition, declaration and occupation are contrasted and compared. The development of behaviour in infant and juvenile Indri is examined in terms of individual and social adaptations. Some facets of ecological and social differentiation with Indri society are proposed

Development, Control, and Empirical Evaluation of the Six-Legged Robot SpaceClimber Designed for Extraterrestrial Crater Exploration

In the recent past, mobile robots played an important role in the field of extraterrestrial surface exploration. Unfortunately, the currently available space exploration rovers do not provide the necessary mobility to reach scientifically interesting places in rough and steep terrain like boulder fields and craters. Multi-legged robots have proven to be a good solution to provide high mobility in unstructured environments. However, space missions place high demands on the system design, control, and performance which are hard to fulfill with such kinematically complex systems. This thesis focuses on the development, control, and evaluation of a six-legged robot for the purpose of lunar crater exploration considering the requirements arising from the envisaged mission scenario. The performance of the developed system is evaluated and optimized based on empirical data acquired in significant and reproducible experiments performed in a laboratory environment in order to show thecapability of the system to perform such a task and to provide a basis for the comparability with other mobile robotic solutions

Nanosatellite Launch Forecasts - Track Record and Latest Prediction

After almost 300 CubeSats were sent to space in 2017, the following 3 years saw a continued decline. While 2021 set a new record of about 326 nanosatellites launched, most published forecasts and expectations from the last 10 years about the growth about CubeSats have not come to fruition. This paper attempts to answer the question why and make a new prediction based on scheduled missions and historic trends. First part of the paper presents the latest nanosatellite and CubeSat launch statistics. Out of over 3400 entries in the database, 2068 nanosatellites or 1893 CubeSats have been launched as of August 1, 2022. Total estimated mass of launched CubeSats is only ∼7428 kg (4952U x 1.5 kg), which is less than a batch of 60 Starlink spacecraft. Second part focuses on the subset of nanosatellites flying beyond the low Earth orbit and 79 missions with orbits from MEO to heliocentric have been listed with 15 of them launched to space. Third part of the study collected small satellite launch forecasts from multiple organizations and compared them to historical results. Reasons for the divergence were discussed. Launch delays are one of the causes for some years, but most of the growth was supposed to come from commercial CubeSat constellations and nearly all of them have not yet happened at scale or are transitioning to larger satellites. Last part of the work created a new CubeSat launch forecast for the next 6 years. This is an update to the previous predictions by the author in early 2018 and 2020. We predict that there will be 2080 nanosatellites launched from the beginning of 2022 to the end of 2027. Some early excitement might have passed for universities and companies after launching their first nanosatellites and facing the challenges of space technology development and space business models. However, with only 4 interplanetary CubeSats in space, quickly expanding launch options, and numerous possible exciting technologies yet to be developed, the productive times of nanosatellites are still likely ahead

The comparative genomics of Bifidobacterium callitrichos reflects dietary carbohydrate utilization within the common marmoset gut

Bifidobacterium is a diverse genus of anaerobic, saccharolytic bacteria that colonize many animals, notably humans and other mammals. The presence of these bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract represents a potential coevolution between the gut microbiome and its mammalian host mediated by diet. To study the relationship between bifidobacterial gut symbionts and host nutrition, we analyzed the genome of two bifidobacteria strains isolated from the feces of a common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a primate species studied for its ability to subsist on host-indigestible carbohydrates. Whole genome sequencing identified these isolates as unique strains of Bifidobacterium callitrichos. All three strains, including these isolates and the previously described type strain, contain genes that may enable utilization of marmoset dietary substrates. These include genes predicted to contribute to galactose, arabinose, and trehalose metabolic pathways. In addition, significant genomic differences between strains suggest that bifidobacteria possess distinct roles in carbohydrate metabolism within the same host. Thus, bifidobacteria utilize dietary components specific to their host, both humans and non-human primates alike. Comparative genomics suggests conservation of possible coevolutionary relationships within the primate clade

Studing audition in fossil hominins: a new approach to the evolution of language?

The evolution of human language is one of the oldest questions inpaleoanthropology. Nevertheless, many previous attempts to approachthis question have not yielded informative results since they are oftenbased on anatomical features whose role in speech production in modernhumans is unclear or whose functional implications in fossil specimensare difficult to assess. We take a new approach to this question bystudying the evolution of audition. Human hearing differs from that ofchimpanzees and other primate taxa in maintaining a widened bandwidthof heightened sensitivity between 1-8 kHz, a region that contains relevantacoustic information in spoken language. Comparative analysis ofprimate audiograms suggests that this represents a unique derived featurein modern humans. Knowledge of the auditory capacities in our fossilhuman ancestors could greatly enhance the understanding of when thishuman pattern emerged during the course of our evolutionary history.Here we present a comprehensive approach to this question, onlyrarely addressed in human evolutionary studies. We have analyzed theauditory capacities in five fossil human specimens from the MiddlePleistocene site of the Sima de los Huesos (SH) in the Sierra deAtapuerca of Spain. The results demonstrate that the Atapuerca (SH)hominins resemble modern humans in showing a widened bandwidth ofheightened sensitivity between 1-5 kHz, a frequency range whichoverlaps the range of frequencies emitted during spoken language. At thesame time, both modern humans and the Atapuerca (SH) hominins differfrom chimpanzees in showing a heightened sensitivity to the highconsonant area (approximately 3-5 kHz) of the so-called "speechbanana", a frequency range associated with consonant production inhuman spoken language.The presence of a modern human auditory pattern in the Atapuercahominins suggests that these Middle Pleistocene humans alreadypossessed the anatomical features of the outer and middle ear that supportthe perception of human spoken language. Given the intuitive, butdifficult to quantify, link between sound perception and vocal productionin animals, the study of auditory capacities may have implications for theemergence of language in our fossil human ancestors. Although the studyof audition is an indirect approach to the question of speech capacity infossil specimens, the results of the present study are consistent with otherrecent suggestions for the presence of some form of spoken language inthe genus Homo prior to the appearance of our own species, Homosapiens

Distribution patterns of oceanic micronekton at seamounts and hydrographic fronts of the subtropical Atlantic Ocean

In the past the oceanic environment has often been compared with terrestrial deserts and until today relatively little is known about the ecology of the high seas. Within the present study pelagic oceanic communities of cephalopods and fish in the subtropical North Atlantic were investigated, and it was analysed at different spatial scales how these communities varied in response to physical gradients and hydrographic processes. First, the influence of the subtropical convergence zone in the Sargasso Sea on the distribution of early life stages of cephalopods was determined. This large-scale front turned out to represent a distinct faunal boundary, with higher diversity and abundance values in the northern part of the Sargasso Sea compared to the southern area. Second, mesoscale distribution patterns of paralarval cephalopods and larval fish were described at Great Meteor Seamount in relation to the specific hydrographic features, as e.g. the Taylor cap. Processes structuring the pelagic communities were identified and their impact evaluated by different multivariate statistical techniques. Fish and cephalopods were similarly influenced, although the retention potential at the seamount was much more pronounced for larval fish. Third, the diurnal vertical migration behaviour of juvenile and adult cephalopods was investigated from samples collected at three seamounts of different topographic morphology. A logistic regression model was developed to demonstrate the probability of occurrence in relation to daytime and catch depth. Because of the species-specific vertical distribution the seamounts represented a topographic obstacle, resulting in an impoverished fauna at shallower water depth

The role of SIRT1 in skeletal muscle function and repair of older mice

Human skeletal muscle is a highly metabolic tissue necessary for mobility and coordination. Responsible for approximately one-fifth of the resting human metabolism, skeletal muscle is also an important regulator of metabolites like glucose and contributes to the regulation of body temperature. Although there is a gradual decline in muscle mass associated with aging, a certain percentage of the population suffer from severe muscle mass and strength deterioration, classified as sarcopenia (5-13% for people aged 60-70 years old, 11-50% for those 80 or older). Sarcopenia is linked to increased morbidity and mortality rates in the elderly population, while annual healthcare costs related to sarcopenia total in the millions of dollars. Because the prevalence of sarcopenia is expected to increase as a larger percentage of the population transitions into old age, it becomes imperative to understand the mechanisms of aging and longevity so that more effective interventions can be taken against age-related muscle deterioration. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that resveratrol, a known activator of the protein sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), was effective in enhancing human muscle adaptations to exercise in elderly populations. A rich body of literature has long supported the association of SIRT1 with longevity, but there are still gaps in our knowledge of how SIRT1 expression affects the functionality and performance of muscles in aging skeletal muscle. Furthermore, SIRT1 has been shown to be important in the function of muscle satellite cells—which are muscle stem cells that are responsible for the majority of muscle regeneration. However, there is little knowledge about how SIRT1 expression affects muscle regeneration and performance after injuries. To investigate the role of SIRT1 in the performance of aging and injured skeletal muscle, we have employed the use of several transgenic mouse models with differential expression of SIRT1. Using these models, we performed a series of functional muscle tests, before and after cardiotoxin (CTX) induced muscle injuries, to identify and compare muscle aptitude and recovery capability. Skeletal muscle sections from each model were also taken to identify differences in muscle fiber size and type distribution. Additionally, both mitochondria and satellite cells were isolated from these models to assess whether SIRT1 expression contributed to differences in metabolic or regenerative capacities. We found that there was little functional difference between young wild-type (YWT, aged 20-30 weeks) and aged (80+ weeks old) wild-type (WT-80), SIRT1 overexpressor (OE-80), and SIRT1 muscle-knockout (MKO-80) mice in either force production or fatigability in the absence of intervention. Mice lacking SIRT1 expression in their satellite cells (SKO-80), however, did show a reduction in force production. Interestingly, both the OE-80 and MKO-80 mice showed significant (P \u3c 0.05) increases for p53 expression and reduced fatigability after recovering from injury, with the SIRT1 overexpressor model showing some signs of muscle potentiation. MKO-80 mice showed a significant increase in satellite cell regeneration (P \u3c 0.05) in vitro when analyzed with EdU, but no difference in proliferation when compared in vivo with BrdU, indicating that SIRT1 expression in adult skeletal muscle may be an early factor in limiting the proliferation of satellite cells. The mitochondrial and structural profiles of each model were found to have minimal differences. Overall, our data indicate that although SIRT1 expression in skeletal muscle does not seem to be necessary for normal muscle function after injury, it does exert some influence in muscle repair. Altering SIRT1 expression either positively or negatively in skeletal muscle improves muscle fatigability in injury-recovered muscles, indicating a potential regulatory role for SIRT1 in skeletal muscle, but not an essential requirement for its deacetylation activity. Interestingly, these alterations of SIRT1 expression in aged skeletal muscle also resulted in a significant increase of p53 expression, indicating a potential benefit for p53 expression to muscle recovery. SIRT1 expression in satellite cells was shown to be necessary to achieve normal contractile force, but did not affect fatigability in those muscle. Our work has indicated a complex role for SIRT1 in skeletal muscle regeneration. We have shown for the first time that SIRT1 is required in satellite cells for proper function, but is not essential for muscles to recover their functionality after injury. We have also provided evidence for a potentially new target for muscle recovery, the protein p53, and new insights into the role of SIRT1 in muscle recovery