Biological motion, also known as human motion, is the study of how organisms move in a coordinated fashion. It involves the analysis of the movements of individual parts of an organism, such as the arms, legs, or trunk, in order to understand the overall behavior of an organism. Biological motion is an important field of study, as it can provide insight into how organisms interact with their environment, the development of motor skills, and the role of the brain in controlling movement.
The study of biological motion began in the late 19th century, when researchers such as William James, Charles Darwin, and Henry James used cameras to record the movements of animals and humans. In the early 20th century, researchers such as Max Wertheimer and Kurt Koffka used photographs to study human motion, while researchers such as Rudolf Laban and Margaret Mead used film to study the movement of animals.
In the 1950s, researchers such as Richard Held and Eleanor Gibson conducted experiments on human infants to understand how they learn to move. In the 1960s, researchers such as Eadweard Muybridge and Etienne Jules Marey developed methods for recording and analyzing the movements of humans and animals. In the 1970s, researchers such as David Marr and Alvin Liberman developed theories and models to explain the perception of human motion.
In the late 20th century, researchers such as Johan Casse and Johan J. Koenderink used computer-based methods to study biological motion. These methods included the analysis of motion capture data, the use of motion capture systems, and the development of motion-capture algorithms.
In recent years, researchers have used biological motion to study the effects of aging, the development of motor skills, the perception of biological motion, the use of prostheses, the role of the brain in controlling movement, and the role of the environment in influencing movement.
The study of biological motion has provided valuable insight into the behavior of organisms, and has been used in a variety of fields, including robotics, medical research, and sports science.
References
Casse, J., & Koenderink, J. J. (2003). Analysis of human motion: A methodological approach. Human Movement Science, 22(4), 495-511.
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Held, R. (1958). Development of visually guided reaching. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 56(5), 1112-1117.
Koenderink, J. J., & van Doorn, A. J. (1994). Representation of local geometry in vision. Biological Cybernetics, 70(4), 363-370.
Koffka, K. (1935). Principles of Gestalt psychology. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Marr, D., & Liberman, A. M. (1976). A theory of human motion perception. Psychological Review, 83(4), 341-354.
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