{"305331":{"#nid":"305331","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Man\u0027s (New) Best Friends","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe venomous sidewinder rattlesnake has always been able to kill you\u2014but now it could help save you, too. It\u2019s just one of the unlikely species inspiring Georgia Tech researchers to improve lives, animal and human alike.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the many famous animals that populate the annals of Georgia Tech lore\u2014Sideways, Stumpy\u2019s bear, the St. Bernards of Lambda Chi\u2014for many years, the Institute rarely engaged with animals in an academic capacity. Even as recently as the late 1990s, every single research animal on Tech\u2019s campus was contained in a single tank inside a lab in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The sum total: six goldfish.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the ensuing years, Georgia Tech researchers have expanded their focus to more fully explore the intersection of engineering and the natural world. And as they have, one theme has emerged again and again: For as much as we still have to learn about animals, they may have even more to teach us about ourselves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese days, animals are helping researchers to better understand not only animals themselves but also the wider world, including humankind\u2019s place within it\u2014our physiology, our brains, our interactions with our environments. Animals are inspiring Georgia Tech\u2019s faculty and students to create advanced robots, medical technology and improved prosthetics, among other developments that will shape the future, both saving and improving human lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOften, these animals aren\u2019t the types that you would expect to be saving people. Take the sidewinder rattlesnake.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s best known for lying in wait in sandy stretches of the Southwest, ready to strike any prey that comes within reach and inject it with venom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut the sidewinder\u2019s unique motion that carves an arcing trail through the desert is proving key to researchers who seek to build a robot capable of moving across sand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat is but one of a growing number of animal-related projects taking place on campus. As these endeavors have increased, Georgia Tech has taken steps to manage and oversee such work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll research involving animals is conducted under strict guidelines ensuring that as few animals as possible are used in research, and that those animals are treated humanely. Animals have given much to researchers, and so researchers do their part to give something back.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EHere, we look at just a small sampling of the ways in which animals are helping Georgia Tech researchers transform the world.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EINSPIRING ROBOTS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBiologically inspired robotics has developed into a major focus at the Institute, with multiple labs looking to the animal kingdom for inspiration. One challenge that has long vexed researchers is the ability to traverse across sand. It\u2019s a tricky prospect, as sandy surfaces can take on the properties of a solid, a liquid and even a gas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut while robots struggle with the surface, various animals are able to move across sand, including lizards, sea turtles and snakes. Now Tech roboticists are mining the creatures\u2019 behavior for their evolutionarily perfected secrets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnimals are inspiring Tech\u2019s faculty and students to create advanced robots, medical technology and improved prosthetics, among other developments that will shape the future, both saving and improving human lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA robotics team led by Dan Goldman, an assistant [associate] professor in the School of Physics, and David Hu, an assistant [associate] professor of mechanical engineering, began performing comparative studies on how sea turtles and sandfish (which essentially swim on land) move over sand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThen they turned to snakes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne snake-based robot that came out of the lab\u2014known as Scalybot\u2014was effective on many surfaces, but it always got stuck in sand. Many real snakes struggle with sand, too.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey partnered with Joe Mendelson, curator of herpetology at Zoo Atlanta and an adjunct professor at Tech, to study a snake that\u2019s at ease on sand: the sidewinder rattlesnake.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey\u2019re famous for their funky sideways locomotion through sand dunes,\u201d Mendelson says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech prohibits venomous snakes on campus, and Tech researchers themselves can\u2019t handle poisonous animals. Mendelson\u2019s position at Zoo Atlanta allowed him to collect sidewinders from Arizona and conduct the research at the zoo in \u201cthe world\u2019s most expensive sandbox.\u201d Tech\u2019s researchers simply observed the results.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team now has a firm understanding of how sidewinders handle sandy slopes, and they\u2019re examining how the snakes navigate obstructions. While sidewinder-style robots have obvious uses\u2014search-and-rescue missions, military operations, planetary exploration\u2014research partners from Harvard University have suggested sending the robots into sand-filled tunnels in Egyptian ruins.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA robot can\u2019t go down a sand-choked tunnel underground\u2014only a snake can do that,\u201d Mendelson says. \u201cSo we need a sidewinding robot with a camera that can look around. Then [if something of value is down there] you can put in the effort to dig it out.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe needs of robots extend far beyond traversing sand, and inspiration has come from some surprising places. Hu received a lot of attention in 2012 for publishing a study of the \u201cwet-dog shake\u201d\u2014when dogs shake wildly to dry themselves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe physics of the wet-dog shake are impressive\u2014dogs can shake themselves 70 percent dry in just a fraction of a second. While the research might seem silly, it does have useful implications. Hu says the research could be used for improved drying technology or in robotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn the future, self-cleaning and self-drying may arise as an important capability for cameras and other equipment subject to wet or dusty conditions,\u201d he says.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIMPROVING HUMAN LIVES\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe School of Applied Physiology is home to the Comparative Neuromechanics Lab, where humans, rats and other creatures run on instrumented treadmills. Meanwhile, researchers gather data on how animals move.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis comparative data reveals a wealth of information on how healthy animals move, and how their bodies compensate after an injury. The findings are critical to the development of new approaches to rehabilitation of human and animal patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis research could be a potential alternative to bone-grafting operations.\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe lab\u2019s director, associate professor Young-Hui Chang, says he\u2019d wanted to study animal locomotion ever since growing up watching animals in National Geographic documentaries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe lab\u2019s data also is being used in Tech\u2019s Center for Prosthetic and Orthotic Research and Education to design and test new prosthetics, which are changing the lives of humans with missing limbs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the biotech quad on campus, the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences is focused largely on studying disease and injury and developing innovative treatments. One recent study showed that delivering stem cells on a polymer scaffold to treat large areas of missing bone led to improved results compared to using a scaffold alone. This research\u2014conducted on rats\u2014could be a potential alternative to bone-grafting operations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMassive bone injuries are among the most challenging problems that orthopedic surgeons face, and they are commonly seen as a result of accidents as well as in soldiers returning from war,\u201d says the study\u2019s lead author, Robert Guldberg, a professor of mechanical engineering and the Institute\u2019s executive director. \u201cThis study shows that there is promise in treating these injuries by delivering stem cells to the injury site. These are injuries that would not heal without significant medical intervention.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHELPING ANIMALS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome researchers on campus have dedicated their time to developing models of animals. One team including researchers from applied physiology and biomedical engineering has developed a 3-D computer model that can be studied at almost the same level of detail as a physical specimen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the model can\u2019t entirely replace live animals in experiments, it can greatly reduce the numbers that are used. The principal author of the model, Nathan Bunderson, also is in the process of making the model commercially available for educational purposes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother modeling effort that is providing a greater understanding of animals comes from the lab of Tech associate professor of physics Flavio Fenton.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFenton has created extensive models of hearts after studying fish, mice and horses. His detailed electronic models are a tool to researchers and veterinarians around the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne project is focused on fostering a more symbiotic relationship between pets and humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Tech-based Facilitating Interactions for Dogs with Occupations (FIDO) is an effort led by faculty member and dog lover Melody Jackson, PhD Computer Science.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJackson, an associate professor of computer science and director of Tech\u2019s Center for Biointerface Research, created a vest for canines that is equipped with several sensors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA dog can trigger a sensor by nipping or nudging it, movements that send audible cues to the dog\u2019s owner. The technology could be of use for service or rescue dogs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCurrently, dogs can only communicate with people by barking or through body language. Sometimes that isn\u2019t good enough,\u201d Jackson says. \u201cThe sensors can give them a voice they\u2019ve never had.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FIDO vest for canines is equipped with several sensors. A dog can trigger a sensor by nipping or nudging it, movement that send audible cues to the dog\u2019s owner\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe FIDO vest for canines is equipped with several sensors. A dog can trigger a sensor by nipping or nudging it, movements that send audible cues to the dog\u2019s owner.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECaring for Research Animals\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll Tech researchers whose work involves live specimens use as few animals as possible and follow strict regulations to ensure humane treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese regulations are enforced by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, a group that monitors all research and teaching activities at Georgia Tech involving vertebrate animals and makes certain it follows guidelines in the Federal Animal Welfare Act.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe IACUC reviews any activity involving animals before animals are used, and the committee meets monthly to review protocols. IACUC responsibilities include frequent inspections and documentation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt the deepest level, I owe animals the best possible care,\u201d says Richard Nichols, professor and chair of the School of Applied Physiology at Tech and director of the Neurophysiology Lab, whose animal research augments his study of the physiology of human locomotion. \u201cI feel particularly qualified to make sure of the humane treatment of my animals, and I regard it as a personal obligation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELearn more about the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/researchintegrity.gatech.edu\/about-iacuc\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee\u003C\/a\u003E and the Institute\u2019s policies regarding research animals.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWritten by: Van Jensen\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The ways in which animals are helping Georgia Tech researchers transform the world."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe ways in which animals are helping Georgia Tech researchers transform the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The ways in which animals are helping Georgia Tech researchers transform the world."}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2014-06-26 14:43:20","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:16:41","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"305341":{"id":"305341","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech\u0027s robotics team studied how sandfish move over sand.","body":null,"created":"1449244637","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:57:17","changed":"1475895012","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:12","alt":"Georgia Tech\u0027s robotics team studied how sandfish move over sand.","file":{"fid":"199688","name":"goldmandan_article_6.2014_-_sandfish_lizard.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/goldmandan_article_6.2014_-_sandfish_lizard_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/goldmandan_article_6.2014_-_sandfish_lizard_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":135243,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/goldmandan_article_6.2014_-_sandfish_lizard_0.jpg?itok=6D8qHjfi"}}},"media_ids":["305341"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/guldberglab.gatech.edu\/","title":"Guldberg Musculoskeletal Research Lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/crablab.gatech.edu\/","title":"Goldman CRAB lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/hoogle.gatech.edu\/","title":"David Hu Research Website"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ap.gatech.edu\/Nichols\/NeurophysiologyLab.php","title":"Neurophysiology Lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ap.gatech.edu\/Chang\/CNL.php","title":"Comparative Neuromechanics Laboratory"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EVan Jensen\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["connect@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}