Monica A Daley

Picture of Monica A Daley
Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
School of Biological Sciences
Equity Advisor
School of Biological Sciences
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering
Ph.D., Harvard University, 2006, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
M.A., Harvard University, 2003, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
B.S., University of Utah, 1999, Biology
Phone: (949) 824-6654
Email: madaley@uci.edu
University of California, Irvine
1408 Biological Sciences III
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Mail Code: 2525
Irvine, CA 92697
Research Interests
neuromechanics, animal locomotion, comparative physiology, biomechanics, neurophysiology, sensorimotor control, morphology
Publications
Schwaner, Mayfield, Azizi, and Daley (2024) Linking in vivo muscle dynamics to in situ force-length and force-velocity reveals that guinea fowl lateral gastrocnemius operates at shorter than optimal lengths. Journal of Experimental Biology, pp.jeb-246879.
Tsai, Navarro, Wu, Levinson, Mendoza, Schwaner, Daley, Azizi, and Ilton (2024) Viscoelastic materials are most energy efficient when loaded and unloaded at equal rates. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 21(210), p.20230527.
Ijspeert and Daley (2023) Integration of feedforward and feedback control in the neuromechanics of vertebrate locomotion: a review of experimental, simulation and robotic studies. Journal of Experimental Biology, 226(15), p.jeb245784.
Schwaner, Gordon, Biewener, and Daley (2023) Muscle force-length dynamics during walking over obstacles indicates delayed recovery and a shift towards more strut-like function in birds with proprioceptive deficit. Journal of Experimental Biology. jeb245199
Rice, Bemis, Daley, and Nishikawa (2023) Understanding muscle function during perturbed in vivo locomotion using a muscle avatar approach. Journal of Experimental Biology, 226(13), p.jeb244721.
Schwaner, Nishikawa, Daley (2022) Kinematic trajectories in response to speed perturbations in walking suggest modular task-level control of leg angle and length. Integrative and Comparative Biology. May 24, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icac057
Badri-Spröwitz, Aghamaleki Sarvestani, Sitti, Daley (2022) BirdBot achieves energy-efficient gait with minimal control using avian-inspired leg clutching. Science Robotics 7 (64), eabg4055. https://is.mpg.de/publications/bb01
AA Biewener, RJ Bomphrey, MA Daley, AJ Ijspeert. (2022) Stability and manoeuvrability in animal movement: lessons from biology, modelling and robotics. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 289: 20212492
Gordon Holt, Biewener, Daley (2020) Tuning of feedforward control enables stable muscle force-length dynamics after loss of autogenic proprioceptive feedback. eLife Jun 23;9:e53908. doi.org/10.7554/eLife.53908
Haimson, Hadas, Bernat, Kania, Daley, Cinnamon, Lev-Tov, and Klar (2021) Spinal lumbar dI2 interneurons contribute to stability of bipedal stepping. Elife, 10, p.e62001. https://elifesciences.org/articles/62001
Kamska, Daley, Badri-Spröwitz (2020) 3D anatomy of the quail lumbosacral spinal canal—implications for putative mechanosensory function, Integrative Organismal Biology, obaa037, https://doi.org/10.1093/iob/obaa037
Finnegan, Volk, Asher, Daley, Packer (2020) Investigating the potential for seizure prediction in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy: owner-reported prodromal changes and seizure triggers. Veterinary Record. doi: 10.1136/vr.105307
Michel, West, Daley, Allen, Hutchinson (2020) Appendicular muscle physiology and biomechanics in Crocodylus niloticus, Integrative Organismal Biology, obaa038, https://doi.org/10.1093/iob/obaa038
Cuff, Daley, Krijn, Allen, Lamas, Adami, Pelligrand, Hutchinson (2019) Relating neuromuscular control to functional anatomy of limb muscles in extant archosaurs. J Morphology. doi.org/10.1002/jmor.20973

Kashiri, et al. (2018) On the Energetic Gap between Robots and Biological Systems. Frontiers in Robotics & AI, https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2018.00129

Daley (2018) Understanding the agility of running birds: Sensorimotor and mechanical factors in avian bipedal locomotion. Integrative and Comparative Biology. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icy058

Neal, Barton, Birn-Jeffrey, Daley and Morrissey (2018) The effects & mechanisms of increasing running step rate: A feasibility study in a mixed-sex group of runners with patellofemoral pain. Physical Therapy in Sport. May 2018

Daley and Birn-Jeffery (2018) Scaling of avian bipedal locomotion reveals independent effects of body mass and leg posture on gait. J Exp Bio. 221(10):jeb152538.

Urbina-Melendez, Jalaledini, Daley and Valero-Cuevas (2018). A physical model suggests that hip-localized balance sense in birds improves state estimation for perching: implications for bipedal robots. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 5, p.38.

Daley, Channon, Nolan, Hall (2016) Preferred gait and walk-run transition speeds in ostriches measured using GPS-IMU sensors. J Exp Bio, 219: 3301-3308.

Portugal, Murn, Sparkes, and Daley (2016) The fast and forceful kicking strike of the secretary bird. Current Biology, Volume 26, Issue 2, R58-R59.

Gordon, Rankin, and Daley (2015) How do treadmill speed and terrain visibility influence neuromuscular control of guinea fowl locomotion? J Exp Bio, 218(19), 3010-3022.

Hubicki, Jones, Daley, and Hurst (2015). Do limit cycles matter in the long run? Stable orbits and sliding-mass dynamics emerge in task-optimal locomotion. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 5113-5120.

Birn-Jeffery, Hubicki, Blum, Renjewski, Hurst and Daley (2014) Don't break a leg: Running birds from quail to ostrich prioritise leg safety and economy in uneven terrain. J Exp Bio, 217, 3786-3796.

Blum, Vejdani, Birn-Jeffery, Hubicki, Hurst, and Daley (2014) Swing-Leg Trajectory of Running Guinea Fowl Suggests Task-Level Priority of Force Regulation Rather than Disturbance Rejection. PLOS ONE 9(6): e100399. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0100399.

Van Why, Hubiki, Jones, Daley and Hurst (2014) Running into a Trap: Numerical Design of Task-Optimal Preflex Behaviors for Delayed Disturbance Responses. IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2537-2542, DOI: 10.1109/IROS.2014.6942908.

Vejdani, Blum, Daley and Hurst (2013) Bio-inspired swing leg control for spring-mass robots running on ground with unexpected height disturbance. Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, 8, 046006 doi:10.1088/1748-3182/8/4/046006.

Daley, Bramble and Carrier (2013) Impact loading and locomotor-respiratory coordination significantly influence breathing dynamics in running humans. Plos One. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070752.

Voloshina, Kuo, Daley, and Ferris (2013) Biomechanics and energetics of walking on uneven terrain. J Exp Bio, DOI:10.1242/jeb.081711.

Paxton, Daley, Corr, Hutchinson (2013) The gait dynamics of the modern broiler chicken: A cautionary tale of selective breeding. J Exp Bio, DOI: 10.1242/jeb.080309.

Ross, Blob, Carrier, Daley, Deban, Demes, Gripper, Iriarte-Diaz, Kilbourne, Landberg, Polk, Schilling, and Vanhooydonck (2012) Evolution of locomotor rhythmicity in tetrapods. Evolution. DOI: 10.1111/evo.12015.

Birn-Jeffery and Daley (2012) Birds achieve high robustness in uneven terrain through active control of landing conditions. J Exp Bio, 215, 2117-2127.

Blum, Birn-Jeffery, Daley and Seyfarth (2011) Does A Crouched Leg Posture Enhance Running Stability and Robustness? Journal of Theoretical Biology. 281, 97-106.

Daley and Biewener (2011) Leg muscles that mediate stability: Mechanics and control of two distal extensor muscles during obstacle negotiation in the guinea fowl. Phil Trans R Soc B. 366, 1580-1591. DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2010.0338.

Daley and Usherwood (2010) Two explanations for the compliant running paradox: reduced work of bouncing viscera and increased stability in uneven terrain. Biol Lett. 6:418-421, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2010.0175.

Daley, Voloshina and Biewener (2009) The role of intrinsic muscle mechanics in the neuromuscular control of stable running in the guinea fowl. J Physiol. 587, 2693-2707, DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2009.171017.

Usherwood, Szymanek, and Daley (2008) Compass gait mechanics account for top walking speeds in ducks and humans. J Exp Bio, 211, 3744-3749.

Pelc, Daley, and Ferris (2008) Resonant hopping of a robot controlled by an artificial neural oscillator. Bioinspiration and Biomimetics. 3, 026001, DOI: 10.1088/1748-3182/3/2/026001.

Biewener and Daley (2007) Unsteady locomotion: integrating muscle function with whole body dynamics and neuromuscular control. J Exp Bio, 210, 2949-2960.

Ferris, Sawicki, and Daley (2007) A physiologist's perspective on robotic exoskeletons for human locomotion. International Journal of Humanoid Robotics. 4, 507-528. DOI: 10.1142/S0219843607001138.

Nishikawa, Biewener Aerts, Ahn, Chiel, Daley, Daniel, Full, Hale, Hedrick, Lappin, Nichols, Quinn, Ritzmann, Satterlie, and Szymik. (2007) Neuromechanics: An integrative approach for understanding motor control. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 47, 16-54.

Daley, Felix, and Biewener (2007) Running stability is enhanced by a proximo-distal gradient in joint neuromechanical control. J Exp Bio, 210, 383-394.

Daley and Biewener (2006) Running over rough terrain reveals limb control for intrinsic stability. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 103, 15681-15686. See media coverage.

Daley, Usherwood, Felix, and Biewener (2006) Running over rough terrain: guinea fowl maintain dynamic stability despite a large unexpected change in substrate height. J Exp Bio, 209, 171-187.

Daley and Goller (2004) Tracheal length changes during zebra finch song and their possible role in upper vocal tract filtering. Journal of Neurobiology, 59, 319-330.

Daley and Biewener (2003) Muscle force-length dynamics during level versus incline locomotion: a comparison of in vivo performance of two guinea fowl ankle extensors. J Exp Bio, 206, 2941-2958.

Goller and Daley (2001) Novel motor gestures for phonation during inspiration enhance the acoustic complexity of birdsong. Proceedings of the Royal Society London B. 268, 2301-2305.
Research Centers
Director, Center for Integrative Movement Sciences (https://cims.uci.edu/)
Last updated
07/04/2024