ABSTRACT
Many aspects of biological systems are mechanical in nature, and the mechanics of living systems represents a significant area of study in the biological disciplines. Understanding of biomechanics enables the development of better diagnostic procedures and more effective techniques; continuous improvement of medical, sports, anzd rehabilitation devices; and the augmentation of human capabilities as well as ensuring safety. Many of the contributions to human material possessions have been conceived through constant efforts to understand and emulate the mechanics of living systems. In the fifteenth century, Leonardo da Vinci believed that some day humans would fly. He wrote, ‘‘A bird is an instrument working according to mathematical law. Such an instrument constructed by man is lacking in nothing except the life of the bird, and this life must be supplied from that of man.’’ Galileo also observed that ‘‘nature is written in mathematical symbols’’ and left the study of medicine to study mathematics. In the early part of the nineteenth century, Sir George Cayley at Cambridge University plotted the profile of a trout (which fits exactly the profile of a modern lowdrag aerfoil) to illustrate how nature optimized the shape for minimum resistance. This chapter is an overview of the basic principles of several aspects of biomechanics, in an attempt to familiarize the reader with the breadth of the subject.
