D. Labonte

Beyond power limits: the kinetic energy capacity of skeletal muscle

The paper challenges the power-limit paradigm in muscle energy output, proposing kinetic energy capacity as a new constraint and introducing the physiological similarity index.

WOLO: Wilson Only Looks Once - Estimating ant body mass from reference-free images using deep convolutional neural networks

This paper develops WOLO, a deep learning model that estimates ant body mass from reference-free images, achieving accuracy comparable to humans and significantly faster.

Optimising the flow of mechanical energy in musculoskeletal systems through gearing

This paper analyzes how mechanical advantage affects energy flow in musculoskeletal systems and identifies optimal gearing for efficient energy delivery.

3D kinematics of leaf-cutter ant mandibles: not all dicondylic joints are simple hinges

This study investigates the 3D kinematics of leaf-cutter ant mandibles, finding that their motion involves more than one rotational degree of freedom, challenging the traditional hinge joint hypothesis.

Biomechanics of cutting: sharpness, wear sensitivity, and the scaling of cutting forces in leaf-cutter ant mandibles

The paper measures cutting forces in leaf-cutter ant mandibles to show that wear, not size, primarily affects cutting efficiency, with smaller ants being more vulnerable to wear-related force increases.

replicAnt: A pipeline for generating annotatedimages of animals in complex environments usingUnreal Engine

replicAnt generates synthetic annotated images for animal behavior research, reducing hand-annotation needs and improving model robustness.

Parallel and divergent morphological adaptations underlying the evolution of jumping ability in ants

This study identifies morphological adaptations in ant jumping by comparing muscle structures across jumping and non-jumping species, finding enlarged muscles and varied reliance on muscle contraction versus elastic recoil.

A theory of physiological similarity in muscle-driven motion

The paper introduces a dimensionless number, Gamma, to quantify physiological similarity in muscle-driven motion across different musculoskeletal systems.

Strong positive allometry of bite force in leaf-cutter ants increases the range of cuttable plant tissues

This study measures bite forces in leaf-cutter ants and finds strong positive allometry, enabling them to cut a wider range of plant tissues.

A biomechanical model for the relation between bite force and mandibular opening angle in arthropods

The paper develops a biomechanical model to relate bite force and mandibular opening angle in arthropods, validated with leaf-cutter ant CT scans and demonstrating specialized biting capabilities.

The physical properties of the stick insect pad secretion are independent of body size

The study measures physical properties of stick insect pad secretion and finds they do not change with body size, suggesting size-invariant surface tension and viscosity.

Morphological determinants of bite force capacity in insects: a biomechanical analysis of polymorphous leaf-cutter ants

The paper quantitatively links morphology and bite force capacity in leaf-cutter ants, showing that larger workers have disproportionately higher bite force due to increased muscle volume.

Disentangling the role of surface topography and intrinsic wettability in the prey capture mechanism of Nepenthes pitcher plants

This study investigates how surface topography in Nepenthes pitcher plants aids prey capture by enhancing water film stability and reducing desiccation risk.

Shear-sensitive adhesion enables size-independent adhesive performance in stick insects

This study shows that shear-sensitive adhesion in stick insects allows for size-independent adhesive performance across different body sizes.

On the relationship between indenation hardness and modulus, and the damage resistance of biological materials.

This paper analyzes the relationship between indentation hardness, modulus, and damage resistance in biological materials using a meta-analysis and lumped parameter model.