To investigate the evolution of functional systems, a wide range of equipment is used to quantify motion and function in animals. The aim of these pages is to give background information on the equipment we use, how we use it and why. Also provided is information on the benefits, drawbacks and limitations of the set-up used (as we have experienced it).

• Vicon infrared system
  
• High-speed cineradiography system
  
• emg-system
  
• Force plate to measure ground-reaction forces in a wide array of animals
  
• Treadmill to measure lizard locomotor endurance
  
• Field portable equipment (race-track, high-speed camera, force plate, bite force tranducers, etc...)
  
• Integrated zoo set-up to study the kinesiology of ape locomotion
  
• 3D laser scanner and 3D coordinate measurement system
  
• ANSYS Academic Research simulation software
• We use a portable spectrometer (Avaspec-2048-USB2-UA-50, Avantes) to quantify colours. Reflectance spectra can be measured from the UV until the IR range (200-1100nm). These spectra are used to determine some characteristics of the colours of interest: brightness, hue and chroma. We also have a second portable spectrometer (Avaspec-2048-USB2-UA-50, Avantes) coupled to a probe with a cosine corrector (CC-VIS/NIR, Avantes). These cosine correctors are designed to collect radiation (light) over 180°. Together with the reflectance data, the irradiance measurements allow us to calculate for instance the level of background matching of an animal (a possible antipredator strategy). See the Avantes website for more technical details (http://www.avantes.com/).