Comparative Study of Corneal Strip Extensometry and Inflation Tests by Dr AI Elsheikh and Mr K Anderson

Two experimental methods are currently used to test specimens of human cornea. They involve subjecting strips of corneal tissue to tension until rupture, and applying inflation pressure on whole corneal specimens. While the first test is simple to conduct, it is unreliable because of the original spherical nature of the cornea. A mathematical procedure is developed in this paper to address this source of error, and the results of implementing it have been found close to those produced by the more accurate inflation procedure. This work has the potential of simplifying the tests conducted to determine the mechanical properties of the cornea and to improve understanding of its behaviour.
Contact: Dr AI El-Sheikh, Civil Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Swimming porpoises acoustically inspect areas that lie ahead by Dr TA Akamatsu, Dr DW Wang, Mr KW Wang and Dr YN Naito

Free-ranging finless porpoises scan ahead in advance by using their sonar before swimming silently. The inspection distance reaches several tens of metres, providing a sufficient 'safety margin' for the animal before it has to face real risks or rewards. Once the porpoise detects a potential prey, it keeps focusing its sonar on the target as it approaches. When we are driving a car whilst listening to music, we should check ahead in advance before changing a compact disk, otherwise we can crash easily. Detecting objects in their path is a fundamental perceptional function of moving organisms.
Contact: Dr Tomonari Akamatsu, Fisheries Information Science Division, National Research Institute of Fisheries Engineering, Ebidai, Hasaki, IBARAKI, 314-0421,
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Contact: Tim Watson
tim.watson@royalsoc.ac.uk
44-207-451-2508
Royal Society
26-Apr-2005