	Bioengineering and Biorobotics at Vassar College Tadro, a tadpole robot, built as a model simulation of free-swimming sea squirt larvae (Chordata: Urochordata), propels itself with a flapping tail containing a biomimetic notochord (underwater view). We compete and evolve a population of Tadros in order to test hypotheses about the origins of the vertebral column in early vertebrates. This project (see publications below) is funded by the National Science Foundation (grants BCS-0320765 and DBI-0442269). Read TadroÕs press clippings. Robot Madeleine, a four-flippered aquatic tetrapod, built to test ideas about how living and fossil vertebrates swim. With funds provided to JHL from a grant from the National Science Foundation (BCS-0320765), Madeleine was built by Nekton Research LLC (Durham, North Carolina). Research using Madeleine (see publications, below) was also funded by an NSF grant to JHL (DBI-0442269). Watch her swim (3 Mb Quicktime movie). Read MadeleineÕs press clippings.	John H. Long, Jr., Ph.D. Professor, Vassar College Department of Biology, Program in Cognitive Science, Interdisciplinary Robotics Research Laboratory 124 Raymond Avenue, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604-0513 USA Office phone: (845) 437-7305 Laboratory phone: (845) 437-7276 Fax: (845) 437-7315 E-mail: jolong@vassar.edu Current student collaborators: Chelsea Backer (class of Õ07) Kurt Bantilan (2008) Keon Combie (2008) Pam Cuce (2008) Nicole Doorley (2008) Virginia Engel (2008) Kira Irving (2007) Gianna McArthur (2008) Mike Zubrow (2007) Recent student collaborators: Jared Abrams (class of 2005) Adam Lammert (2004) Megan Overgaard (2006) Joe Schumacher (2005) Legacy student collaborators: Craig Blanchette (1998), M.S. Nick Boetticher (1994), M.D. Hayden Courtland (2000), M.S. McKenzie Johnson (2003), M.S. Wyatt Korff (1996), Ph.D. Matt McHenry (1995), Ph.D. Karen Nipper (1996), M.D. William Shepherd (1998), M.A. Ben Sinwell (1998), M.A.T. Eamon Twohig (1999), M.S. Stephanie Varga (1998), M.D. Current active collaborators: Tom Ellman, Ph.D., Comp. Sci. Mathieu Kemp, Ph.D., Physics Jason Jones, Ph.D. Ecology Tom Koob, Ph.D., Biochemistry Chun Wai Liew, Ph.D., Comp. Sci. Ken Livingston, Ph.D., Psychology Nick Livingston, B.S. Comp. Sci. Chuck Pell, M.F.A., Sculpture Rob Root, Ph.D., Mathematics Fred Schachat, Ph.D., Mol. Bio.
Publications (* denotes an undergraduate collaborator) *Biorobotics & Bioengineering*
Long, J.H. Jr., Koob, T.J., Irving, K., Combie, K., Engel, V., Livingston, N., Lammert, A. and J. Schumacher* (2006). Biomimetic evolutionary analysis: testing the adaptive value of vertebrate tail stiffness in autonomous swimming robots. Journal of Experimental Biology, 209(23), 4732-4746. Article: pdf \|\| journal

Long, J.H. Jr., Schumacher, J., Livingston, N. and M. Kemp (2006). Four flippers or two? Tetrapodal swimming with an aquatic robot. Bioinspiration and Biomimetics* 1, 20-29. Article: pdf \|\| journal

Kemp, M., Hobson, B. and J.H. Long, Jr. (2005). Madeleine: an agile AUV propelled by flexible fins. In Proceedings of the 14th International Symposium on Unmanned Untethered Submersible Technology (UUST). Autonomous Undersea Systems Institute, Lee, NH. Article: pdf \|\| order proceedings

Long, J.H. Jr., Lammert, A.C., Pell, C.A., Kemp, M., Strother, J., Crenshaw, H.C. and M.J. McHenry (2004). A navigational primitive: biorobotic implementation of cycloptic helical klinotaxis in planar motion. IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering 29(3), 795-806. Article: pdf \|\| journal

*Biomechanics & Comparative Physiology*
Summers, A.P. and J.H. Long, Jr. (2006). Skin and bones, sinew and gristle: the mechanical behavior of fish skeletal tissues. Pp 141-177 In Fish Biomechanics (Editors R.E. Shadwick & G.V. Lauder, volume 23, Fish Physiology; series editors A.P. Farrell & C.J. Brauner). Academic Press. Article: request hardcopy reprint \|\| order book

Long, J.H. Jr., Koob-Emunds, M. and T.J. Koob (2004). The mechanical consequences of vertebral centra. The Bulletin, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory 43, 99-101. Article: pdf \|\| journal

Hale, M.E., Long, J.H. Jr., McHenry, M.J.* and M.W. Westneat. (2002). Evolution of behavior and neural control of the fast-start escape response. Evolution 56(5), 993-1007. Article: pdf \|\| journal

*Biomathematical Modelling*
Long, J.H. Jr., Adcock, B.* and R.G. Root. (2002). Force transmission via axial tendons in undulating fish: a dynamic analysis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A,133, 911-929. Article: pdf \|\| journal

Czuwala, P.J., Blanchette, C., Varga, S., Root, R.G. and J.H. Long, Jr. (1999). A mechanical model for the rapid body flexures of fast-starting fish. Pp 415-426 in Proceedings of the 11^th International Symposium on Unmanned Untethered Submersible Technology (UUST). Autonomous Undersea Systems Institute, Lee, NH. Article: pdf \|\| order proceedings

Librizzi, N.N., Long, J.H. Jr. and R.G. Root. (1999). Modeling a swimming fish with an initial-boundary value problem: unsteady maneuvers of an elastic plate with internal force generation. Mathematical & Computer Modeling* 30(11/12), 77-93. Article: pdf \|\| journal

	Bioengineering and Biorobotics at Vassar College Tadro, a tadpole robot, built as a model simulation of free-swimming sea squirt larvae (Chordata: Urochordata), propels itself with a flapping tail containing a biomimetic notochord (underwater view). We compete and evolve a population of Tadros in order to test hypotheses about the origins of the vertebral column in early vertebrates. This project (see publications below) is funded by the National Science Foundation (grants BCS-0320765 and DBI-0442269). Read TadroÕs press clippings. Robot Madeleine, a four-flippered aquatic tetrapod, built to test ideas about how living and fossil vertebrates swim. With funds provided to JHL from a grant from the National Science Foundation (BCS-0320765), Madeleine was built by Nekton Research LLC (Durham, North Carolina). Research using Madeleine (see publications, below) was also funded by an NSF grant to JHL (DBI-0442269). Watch her swim (3 Mb Quicktime movie). Read MadeleineÕs press clippings.	John H. Long, Jr., Ph.D. Professor, Vassar College Department of Biology, Program in Cognitive Science, Interdisciplinary Robotics Research Laboratory 124 Raymond Avenue, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604-0513 USA Office phone: (845) 437-7305 Laboratory phone: (845) 437-7276 Fax: (845) 437-7315 E-mail: jolong@vassar.edu Current student collaborators: Chelsea Backer (class of Õ07) Kurt Bantilan (2008) Keon Combie (2008) Pam Cuce (2008) Nicole Doorley (2008) Virginia Engel (2008) Kira Irving (2007) Gianna McArthur (2008) Mike Zubrow (2007) Recent student collaborators: Jared Abrams (class of 2005) Adam Lammert (2004) Megan Overgaard (2006) Joe Schumacher (2005) Legacy student collaborators: Craig Blanchette (1998), M.S. Nick Boetticher (1994), M.D. Hayden Courtland (2000), M.S. McKenzie Johnson (2003), M.S. Wyatt Korff (1996), Ph.D. Matt McHenry (1995), Ph.D. Karen Nipper (1996), M.D. William Shepherd (1998), M.A. Ben Sinwell (1998), M.A.T. Eamon Twohig (1999), M.S. Stephanie Varga (1998), M.D. Current active collaborators: Tom Ellman, Ph.D., Comp. Sci. Mathieu Kemp, Ph.D., Physics Jason Jones, Ph.D. Ecology Tom Koob, Ph.D., Biochemistry Chun Wai Liew, Ph.D., Comp. Sci. Ken Livingston, Ph.D., Psychology Nick Livingston, B.S. Comp. Sci. Chuck Pell, M.F.A., Sculpture Rob Root, Ph.D., Mathematics Fred Schachat, Ph.D., Mol. Bio.
Publications (* denotes an undergraduate collaborator) *Biorobotics & Bioengineering*
Long, J.H. Jr., Koob, T.J., Irving, K., Combie, K., Engel, V., Livingston, N., Lammert, A. and J. Schumacher* (2006). Biomimetic evolutionary analysis: testing the adaptive value of vertebrate tail stiffness in autonomous swimming robots. Journal of Experimental Biology, 209(23), 4732-4746. Article: pdf \|\| journal

Long, J.H. Jr., Schumacher, J., Livingston, N. and M. Kemp (2006). Four flippers or two? Tetrapodal swimming with an aquatic robot. Bioinspiration and Biomimetics* 1, 20-29. Article: pdf \|\| journal

Kemp, M., Hobson, B. and J.H. Long, Jr. (2005). Madeleine: an agile AUV propelled by flexible fins. In Proceedings of the 14th International Symposium on Unmanned Untethered Submersible Technology (UUST). Autonomous Undersea Systems Institute, Lee, NH. Article: pdf \|\| order proceedings

Long, J.H. Jr., Lammert, A.C., Pell, C.A., Kemp, M., Strother, J., Crenshaw, H.C. and M.J. McHenry (2004). A navigational primitive: biorobotic implementation of cycloptic helical klinotaxis in planar motion. IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering 29(3), 795-806. Article: pdf \|\| journal

*Biomechanics & Comparative Physiology*
Summers, A.P. and J.H. Long, Jr. (2006). Skin and bones, sinew and gristle: the mechanical behavior of fish skeletal tissues. Pp 141-177 In Fish Biomechanics (Editors R.E. Shadwick & G.V. Lauder, volume 23, Fish Physiology; series editors A.P. Farrell & C.J. Brauner). Academic Press. Article: request hardcopy reprint \|\| order book

Long, J.H. Jr., Koob-Emunds, M. and T.J. Koob (2004). The mechanical consequences of vertebral centra. The Bulletin, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory 43, 99-101. Article: pdf \|\| journal

Hale, M.E., Long, J.H. Jr., McHenry, M.J.* and M.W. Westneat. (2002). Evolution of behavior and neural control of the fast-start escape response. Evolution 56(5), 993-1007. Article: pdf \|\| journal

*Biomathematical Modelling*
Long, J.H. Jr., Adcock, B.* and R.G. Root. (2002). Force transmission via axial tendons in undulating fish: a dynamic analysis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A,133, 911-929. Article: pdf \|\| journal

Czuwala, P.J., Blanchette, C., Varga, S., Root, R.G. and J.H. Long, Jr. (1999). A mechanical model for the rapid body flexures of fast-starting fish. Pp 415-426 in Proceedings of the 11^th International Symposium on Unmanned Untethered Submersible Technology (UUST). Autonomous Undersea Systems Institute, Lee, NH. Article: pdf \|\| order proceedings

Librizzi, N.N., Long, J.H. Jr. and R.G. Root. (1999). Modeling a swimming fish with an initial-boundary value problem: unsteady maneuvers of an elastic plate with internal force generation. Mathematical & Computer Modeling* 30(11/12), 77-93. Article: pdf \|\| journal