Tracking the kinematics of caudal-oscillatory swimming : a comparison of two on-animal sensing methods
Date
07/2016Keywords
Metadata
Show full item recordAltmetrics Handle Statistics
Altmetrics DOI Statistics
Abstract
Studies of locomotion kinematics require high-resolution information about body movements and the specific acceleration (SA) that these generate. On-animal accelerometers measure both orientation and SA but an additional orientation sensor is needed to accurately separate these. Although gyroscopes can perform this function, their power consumption, drift and complex data processing make them unattractive for biologging. Lower power magnetometers can also be used with some limitations. Here, we present an integrated and simplified method for estimating body rotations and SA applicable to both gyroscopes and magnetometers, enabling a direct comparison of these two sensors. We use a tag with both sensors to demonstrate how caudal-oscillation rate and SA are adjusted by a diving whale in response to rapidly changing buoyancy forces as the lungs compress while descending. Both sensors gave similar estimates of the dynamic forces demonstrating that magnetometers may offer a simpler low-power alternative for miniature tags in some applications.
Citation
Martin Lopez , L M , Aguilar de Soto , N , Miller , P & Johnson , M 2016 , ' Tracking the kinematics of caudal-oscillatory swimming : a comparison of two on-animal sensing methods ' , Journal of Experimental Biology , vol. 219 , no. 14 , pp. 2103-2109 . https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.136242
Publication
Journal of Experimental Biology
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0022-0949Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2016, Company of Biologists. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at jeb.biologists.org / https://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.136242
Description
Funding: Marie Sklodowska Curie Career Integration Grant and by The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS).Collections
Items in the St Andrews Research Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.