The present-day kinematics and deformation of the Arabian plate and the southern Red Sea region involves interaction of tectonic and non-tectonic processes including plate subduction, continental collision, seafloor spreading, intraplate magmatism, continental transform faulting, microplate rotation, hydrological loading cycles, and anthropogenic activity. Therefore, good constraints on the rates and directions of relative plate motion, plate boundary locations, and rheological properties in the area are essential to assess seismic and volcanic hazards in the region. In this thesis, I combine Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements from over 200 stations with kinematic block modeling to provide updated estimates of the present-day motions of the Arabian plate and the southern Red Sea region. Using the non-rigid residual motions and changes in GNSS station baselines, I provide quantitative constraints on the internal deformation for the Arabian plate at different spatial scales. In addition, I use the GNSS station response to seasonal water exchange in the Red Sea to make inferences of the lithospheric elastic properties beneath Arabia. The GNSS-derived velocity field indicates coherent motion of both the Danakil block in the southern Red Sea and the Arabian plate at present. Current motions in the southern Red Sea region, however, are inconsistent with previous interpretations and require an additional plate boundary in the area. My updated fault slip rates improved earlier estimates limited by the number and spatial distribution of GNSS stations, particularly for the Arabian-Indian plate pair, for which slower right-lateral strike-slip motions are predicted. Non-rigid residual velocities within the Arabian plate interior indicate that large-scale internal deformations are compensated internally. However, at a smaller scale, I identify several localities accommodating significant strain, mostly related to anthropogenic activity. Ground response to surface mass loading associated with water transport in the Red Sea suggests that the Earth’s elastic structure beneath the Arabian plate is 20% to 30% less stiff than global averaged (i.e., AK135-F planetary model). Still, the lithosphere beneath both the Danakil block and the Arabian plate remains strong despite being affected by significant faulting and magmatism associated with the Nubian-Arabian-Eurasian plate interaction.

This thesis deals with new construction of hydraulic linear drive for paralell kinematics structures of robots. In the first section provides a historical development of robots with this structures. There are also described differences between each machine with this structures and compares them with machines with linear structures. In the second section is made a proposal of hydraulic actuator. Designed actuators are arranged into hexapod. There is also included a proposal of possible solutions to fixing hydraulic actuator to platform and base. This thesis include drawings of selected parts and drawing of a whole set of new designed hydraulic actuator. It is included a block diagram of the hydraulic circuit.

Tato práce popisuje další vývoj výukového sériového manipulátoru se třemi stupni volnosti. Práce se zabývá jednoduchou mechanickou úpravou manipulátoru, ale především pak softwarovou částí. Výsledkem je pak hra piškvorky, kdy manipulátor umožňuje hru proti lidskému protějšku. První část práce je věnována zlepšení inicializačního procesu manipulátoru a následně pak i návrhem vhodné polohové regulace. V další části je manipulátor rozšířen o jeden stupeň volnosti. Součástí je i návrh koncového efektoru vhodného pro psaní. Z takto upraveného manipulátoru je sestaven kinematický model vhodný pro real-time řízení. Dalším krokem v práci je návrh samotné aplikace hry piškvorky. Je navržen vhodný hrací algoritmus, včetně detekce a rozpoznání znaků v hracím poli pomocí kamery. Následně je vše implementováno do real-time aplikace, kde komunikaci s uživatelem zajišťuje navržené uživatelské rozhraní.

This dissertation presents a design concept for shape-morphing structures that have two stable configurations. The design concept defines the methodology of transforming a planar structural shape into spatial structural shape using bistable compliant mechanisms. Bistable complaint mechanisms are used to achieve structural stable configurations. The dissertation incorporating geometrical relationships for the mechanisms that form the primary structure described in step-by-step process. This dissertation implements the design layouts for designer to creating shape-morphing structures including origami. The novel contribution of the work is classified in three models. The first model presents a methodology to induce bistability behavior into an origami reverse fold and partially spherical compliant mechanism. The second model presents the design and development of a bistable triangle-shaped compliant mechanism with motion limits and dwell behavior at the two stable configurations. This mechanism can be arrayed to create shape-morphing structures. The third model presents a design and development for a collapsible bistable compliant mechanism used for a shape morphing lamina-emergent frustum. Finally, physical prototypes of all models are presented as proof of concept.

Kinematic measurements conducted during bike set-ups utilise either static or dynamic measures. There is currently limited data on reliability of static and dynamic measures nor consensus on which is the optimal method. The aim of the study was to assess the difference between static and dynamic measures of the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder and elbow. Nineteen subjects performed three separate trials of a 10min duration at a fixed workload (70% of peak power output). Static measures were taken with a standard goniometer (GM), an inclinometer (IM) and dynamic three dimensional motion capture (3DMC) using an eight camera motion capture system. Static and dynamic joint angles were compared over the three trials to assess repeatability of the measurements and differences between static and dynamic values. There was a positive correlation between GM and IM measures for all joints. Only the knee, shoulder and elbow were positively correlated between GM and 3DMC, and IM and 3DMC. Although all three instruments were reliable, 3D motion analysis utilised different landmarks for most joints and produced different means. Changes in knee flexion angle from static to dynamic are attributable to changes in the positioning of the foot. Controlling for this factor, the differences are negated. It was demonstrated that 3DMC is not interchangeable with GM and IM, and it is recommended that 3DMC develop independent reference values for bicycle configuration.

Background: People with chronic shoulder pain have been shown to present with motor adaptations during arm movements. These adaptations may create abnormal physical stress on shoulder tendons and muscles. However, how and why these adaptations develop from the acute stage of pain is still not well-understood. Objective: To investigate motor adaptations following acute experimental shoulder pain during upper limb reaching. Methods: Forty participants were assigned to the Control or Pain group. They completed a task consisting of reaching targets in a virtual reality environment at three time points: (1) baseline (both groups pain-free), (2) experimental phase (Pain group experiencing acute shoulder pain induced by injecting hypertonic saline into subacromial space), and (3) Post experimental phase (both groups pain-free). Electromyographic (EMG) activity, kinematics, and performance data were collected. Results: The Pain group showed altered movement planning and execution as shown by a significant increased delay to reach muscles EMG peak and a loss of accuracy, compared to controls that have decreased their mean delay to reach muscles peak and improved their movement speed through the phases. The Pain group also showed protective kinematic adaptations using less shoulder elevation and elbow flexion, which persisted when they no longer felt the experimental pain. Conclusion: Acute experimental pain altered movement planning and execution, which affected task performance. Kinematic data also suggest that such adaptations may persist over time, which could explain those observed in chronic pain populations.

The purpose of the current study was to gain a better understanding of speech adaptation by examining kinematic and acoustic adaptation to bite block perturbation over time. Fifteen native American English speakers (7 female, 8 male) with no history of speech, language, or hearing deficits participated in the study. Custom bite blocks were created for speakers which created a 10mm interincisal gap when inserted. Speakers produced five repetitions of the sentence, I say ahraw /ərɑ/ (as part of a larger set) prior to bite block insertion, immediately following bite block insertion, 2-mintues post insertion, 4-minutes post insertion, 6-minutes post insertion, and immediately following bite block removal. Participants’ speech was audio-recorded, and their lingual articulatory movements were measured with a Northern Digital Instruments Wave electromagnetic articulograph. The VC syllable /ɑɪs/ was analyzed kinematically from the midpoint of the /ɑɪ/ diphthong through production of /s/ using a custom Matlab application. Kinematic data were obtained via sensor coils placed in the tongue back, tongue mid, tongue front, jaw, lower lip and upper lip. Measures of displacement (mm), maximum velocity (mm/sec), and jaw contribution to the tongue and lower lip (mm) were taken during each recording. Spectral mean (Hz), standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis were calculated for the central 50% of each /s/ production using acoustic analysis software. Kinematic analysis revealed no significant change in tongue measures upon bite block insertion or during the 6-minute adaptation period. In contrast, significant acoustic changes were observed upon bite block insertion and during the following 6 minutes, demonstrating adaptation over time. The changes observed in acoustic measures may have been a result of tongue shape changes and subsequent adaptations that were not detected via kinematic analysis. Future studies may provide further insight into the tongue’s ability to compensate for bite block perturbation by examining the relationship between mandibular positioning and tongue shape.

The research results presented in this thesis provide tools and methods to aid in the design of developable mechanisms. This work will help engineers design compact mechanisms onto developable surfaces, making it possible for them to be used in future applications. The thesis introduces terminology and definitions to describe conical developable mechanisms. Models are developed to describe mechanism motion with respect to the apex of the conical surface, and connections are made to cylindrical developable mechanisms using projected angles. The Loop Sum Method is presented as an approach to determine the geometry of the cone to which a given spherical mechanism can be mapped. A method for position analysis is presented to determine the location of any point along the link of a mechanism with respect to the conical geometry. These methods are also applied to multiloop spherical mechanisms. This work created tools and methods to design cylindrical and conical developable mechanisms from flat, planar patterns. Equations are presented that relate the link lengths and link angles of planar and spherical mechanisms to the dimensions in a flat configuration. These flat patterns can then be formed into curved, developable mechanisms. Guidelines are established to determine if a mechanism described by a flat pattern can exhibit intramobile or extramobile behavior. A developable mechanism can only potentially exhibit intramobile or extramobile behavior if none of the links extend beyond half of the flat pattern. The behavior of a mechanism can change depending on the location of the cut of the flat pattern. Different joint designs are discussed including lamina emergent torsional (LET) joints. It is shown that developable mechanisms on regular cylindrical surfaces can be described using cyclic quadrilaterals. Mechanisms can exist in either an open or crossed configuration, and these configurations correspond to convex and crossed cyclic quadrilaterals. Using equations developed for both convex and crossed cyclic quadrilaterals, the geometry of the reference surface to which a four-bar mechanism can be mapped is found. Grashof mechanisms can be mapped to two surfaces in open or crossed configurations. The way to map a non-Grashof mechanism to a cylindrical surface is in its open configuration. Extramobile and intramobile behavior can be achieved depending on selected pairs within a cyclic quadrilateral and its position within the circumcircle. Selecting different sets of links as the ground link changes the potential behavior of the mechanism. Different cases are tabulated to represent all possibilities.

Background Efficient shoulder movement depends on the ability of central nervous system to integrate sensory information and to create an appropriate motor command. Various daily encountered factors can potentially compromise the execution of the command, such as fatigue. This study explored how fatigue influences shoulder movements during upper limb reaching. Methods Forty healthy participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Control or Fatigue Group. All participants completed an upper limb reaching task at baseline and post-experimental, during which they reached four targets located at 90° of shoulder abduction, 90° external rotation at 90° abduction, 120° scaption, and 120° flexion in a virtual reality environment. Following the baseline phase, the Fatigue Group completed a shoulder fatigue protocol, while Controls took a 10-minute break. Thereafter, the reaching task was repeated. Upper limb kinematic (joint angles and excursions) and spatiotemporal (speed and accuracy) data were collected during the reaching task. Electromyographic activity of the anterior and middle deltoids were also collected to characterize fatigue. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA were performed to determine the effects of Time, Group and of the interaction between these factors. Results The Fatigue group showed decreased mean median power frequency and increased electromyographic amplitudes of the anterior deltoid (p < 0.05) following the fatigue protocol. Less glenohumeral elevation, increased trunk flexion and rotation and sternoclavicular elevation were also observed in the Fatigue group (Group x Time interaction, p < 0.05). The Control group improved their movement speed and accuracy in post-experimental phase, while the Fatigue group showed a decrease of movement speed and no accuracy improvement (Group x Time interaction, p < 0.05). Conclusion In a fatigued state, changes in movement strategy were observed during the reaching task, including increased trunk and sternoclavicular movements and less glenohumeral movement. Performance was altered as shown by the lack of accuracy improvement over time and a decrease in movement speed in the Fatigue group.

Several methods have been used in the scientific literature to study the weightlifting pull. Broadly, these methods are used to measure kinematic or kinetic variables exhibited by the lifter, the barbell, or the lifter-barbell system. However, there is an apparent disconnect between weightlifting research and coaching practice that may reduce the perceived benefits of technique analysis among coaches and present some challenges for coaches who seek to incorporate technique analysis into their coaching practice. Differences and trends in the technique of competitive weightlifting performances are apparent from the available literature. However, there are also gaps in the literature due to infrequent analyses that are limited to narrow subgroups of the weightlifting population. Therefore, the purposes of this dissertation were to 1) update to the scientific knowledge of weightlifting technique and performance, 2) improve coaches’ ability to conduct and interpret technique analysis, and 3) enhance transferability of weightlifting in training to improve sport performance. A review of methods used to evaluate the weightlifting pull provides some practical guidance for coaches on the application and interpretation of weightlifting technique analysis. Video analysis is recommended as the most practicable method for coaches to implement technique analysis themselves. Methods used to study 319 lifts by women and men from two major international competitions demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of video analysis as an inexpensive, time-efficient, and user-friendly method for coaches to conduct reliable technique analysis. The results of this dissertation suggest that a variety of techniques can be used to achieve international weightlifting success and provide some evidence of changes in weightlifting technique since at least the mid-1980’s. These results also indicate that a stereotypical technique profile among elite international weightlifters does not exist, which further support the notion that strength is a primary determinant of weightlifting ability.