The ability to perceive biological motion directly feeds into clinical and veterinary practice. Veterinarians frequently inspect gait as a means of diagnosing conditions such as lameness. Yet very little is known of how humans perceive the gait of any animal species: what features of animal gait kinematics can we reliably detect as observers, and how does expertise enhance our perceptual abilities? Whilst many domestic dog owners will attest to their ability to ‘read’ their pet’s body signals, human visual sensitivity to dog locomotion remains relatively unknown. Through the processes of co-domestication, we might hypothesize that humans will be comparatively adept at detecting gait abnormalities in their companion animals.
Spanning the disciplines of biomechanics, evolutionary biology, computer science and psychology, this project will investigate the phenomenon of motion perception through the lens of domestication.
In this project, the PhD candidate will:
- Develop markerless machine-learning based motion tracking methods to quantify gait kinematics across domestic and wild canids, benchmarked against traditional markered motion capture.
- Apply motion tracking to quantify canid locomotor kinematics in a range of zoo and laboratory settings
- Generate ‘point-light walkers’ and conduct psychophysical experiments to quantify perceptual ability and understand the effect of expertise using naïve observers, trained veterinarians and zookeepers.
This research has important implications for pet ownership, veterinary care and zoo welfare provisioning. The outputs will be of broad public interest, due to the popularity of dog ownership and the value (economic and social) we place in ensuring their wellbeing.
Person Specification
Essential: A good degree (2i or 1 class) in biology, zoology, psychology, or a related discipline. Excellent written and oral communication skills. Ability to manage professional partners and relationships. Adaptable to new situations and be capable of reflecting on their own performance and the feedback of others. Excellent understanding of evolutionary theory, statistical skills including using R or similar, and must show enthusiasm and ability to work independently and as part of a team. The applicant must be comfortable working around animals in laboratory and zoo settings, and capable of travelling to zoo collections.
Desirable: A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline. Experience of, or willingness, to learn Python. Experience collecting kinematic data. Previous research experience in evolutionary biology, animal biomechanics or psychology. Prior experience in working, and communicating with, people from a range of disciplines would be ideal. The applicant must show a willingness to participate in public outreach events and talks.
About the Team
The PhD candidate will be welcomed into a research-active and interdisciplinary group. The project team comprises Dr Charlotte Brassey and Dr Robyn Grant (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Dr James Gardiner and Dr Rebecca Lawson (University of Liverpool). The PhD student will be based within the Ecology and Environment Research Centre (EERC) at Manchester Metropolitan University, a dynamic group currently home to over 50 PhD students. They will be encouraged to take part in outreach and engagement activities, and will have the opportunity to contribute to teaching programmes through work as a demonstrator.
Student eligibility
Fully-funded PhD (home fees), stipend paid at UKRI rate (2022/23 rate £16,062). This opportunity is open to Home / overseas applicants. Overseas applicants will be expected to pay the difference between the home and overseas rates.
How to apply
Visit https://www.mmu.ac.uk/research/research-study/scholarships#ai-51124-3 for more information.
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