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The control of body position in the stick insect (Carausius morosus), when walking over uneven surfaces

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Abstract

An investigation has been made of the way, in which the height of the body of an insect (Carausius morosus) is controlled when walking over an uneven terrain. The animals have been filmed from the side while walking over different types of irregularity (step up, step down, obstacle, ditch). A frame by frame analysis of the height of the three thoracic segments of the insect has been performed. A computer model has been set up, which is able to describe the experimental results within the exactness of measurement. This model consists of three independent height controllers, each having a unique characteristic. The coupling of these three controllers is performed mechanically. One possible interpretation of this model is that the height of each segment is controlled by a closed loop mechanism with a proportional element as a controller.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich Biologie der Universität, Kaiserslautern, FRG

    H. Cruse

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  1. H. Cruse
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Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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Cruse, H. The control of body position in the stick insect (Carausius morosus), when walking over uneven surfaces. Biol. Cybernetics 24, 25–33 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365591

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365591

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