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THE MOVING BODY - Walking Gait Analysis (Part II): Gait goals and functional anatomy
THE MOVING BODY - Walking Gait Analysis (Part II): Gait goals and functional anatomy

In this post, we will try to take those basics and go more in-depth, looking at the gait from a slightly more functional and anatomical angle. We will cover the main muscle groups, timings, and bone structures responsible for moving us forward and answer the question: What makes a walking gait successful?

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AnatomyMatteo RovattiAugust 5, 2025Comment
THE MOVING BODY - Walking Gait Analysis for Animation (Part I)
THE MOVING BODY - Walking Gait Analysis for Animation (Part I)

Efficiency is key in a healthy walk cycle, with propulsion and energy conservation being the primary objectives.

In this article, We are going to break it down into its most basic components. First, we will break it down temporarily into small chunks and actions. Second, we will break it down physically to understand all the components and movement patterns that go into a step.

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AnatomyMatteo RovattiJuly 12, 2024Comment
An unnecessarily drawn-out analysis of bird flight for animation
An unnecessarily drawn-out analysis of bird flight for animation

Today’s article will focus on understanding the anatomy of the wing that propels flight and the basics of aerodynamics that make flying a reality. We cover the different flight patterns and break down the three stages of flight: lift-off, flying, and landing. At the end, I've covered some curiosities about wing shapes and how they influence flight patterns.

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Anatomy, AnimalMatteo RovattiJanuary 1, 2023 Comments
THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES — Monomyth and the Hero’s Journey
THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES — Monomyth and the Hero’s Journey

We'll take a dive into the structure of fictional stories by following the hero's cycle. In all the adventures we tell, there is usually one motif or narrative that, some people may have noticed, keeps repeating itself. The Hero with a Thousand Faces is the story of these stories.

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Psychology, StorytellingMatteo RovattiSeptember 7, 2022Comment
LEARNING ANIMATION - A Journey on the Path to Mastery
LEARNING ANIMATION - A Journey on the Path to Mastery

Today’s topic will be about the learning process. I want to describe and investigate the learning process that takes place in mastering a craft, and hopefully help the readers understand better their own journey—where they are now, where they are going, and how to get there.

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PsychologyMatteo RovattiNovember 7, 2021Comment
A GUIDE TO QUADRUPEDS’ GAITS - Walk, amble, trot, pace, canter, gallop
A GUIDE TO QUADRUPEDS’ GAITS - Walk, amble, trot, pace, canter, gallop

You’ll find an analysis of footfalls of the most common quadrupeds’ gaits, including which animals each gait suits best. Here, I analyze all six gaits in the order of the speed they provide the animal: walk, amble, trot, pace, canter, and gallop.

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Animal, AnatomyMatteo RovattiJuly 27, 2020 Comments
MAKING EVERY DAY MATTER - From Habits to Goals to Purpose
MAKING EVERY DAY MATTER - From Habits to Goals to Purpose

That is why we need clear goals to guide and mold our habits into what we want. If we don’t have a clear sense of direction, we might pick up habits here and there that we think are “good” but that have little to no relevance in our lives, and such habits rarely stick with us for long.

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PsychologyMatteo RovattiApril 29, 2020PsychologyComment
A STUDY OF CREATIVITY - The psychology of the creative mind, process, and personality
A STUDY OF CREATIVITY - The psychology of the creative mind, process, and personality

Creative ideas are among the most elusive commodities we value, and yet how to reach them remains, for the most part, a mystery. The creative inspiration we look for seems so out of reach when we focus on it, and then it comes to us when we least expect it.

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creativity, PsychologyMatteo RovattiOctober 19, 2019creativityComment
FIGHT or FLIGHT - The Anatomy of Stress
FIGHT or FLIGHT - The Anatomy of Stress

The problem is that this stress reaction evolved to be a quick fix for a temporary problem; it is not sustainable. When we maintain stress in our lives over long periods of time, the body will eventually enter a stage of exhaustion when our internal resources become depleted.

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PsychologyMatteo RovattiApril 28, 2019Comment
EMPATHY AND STORYTELLING - The way we connect and communicate
EMPATHY AND STORYTELLING - The way we connect and communicate

When we engage with a story, we are momentarily drawn away from our circumstances and enter into a different universe living it through the protagonist. His goals become our goals; we feel his achievements and losses as our own.

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PsychologyMatteo RovattiDecember 4, 2018 Comments
FLOW - The Psychology of Optimal Experience
FLOW - The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Flow is described as a state of mind in which we feel our best and perform our best; we are so involved in what we are doing that we no longer have the mental energy to be aware of anything else.

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Psychology, PerformanceMatteo RovattiJuly 8, 2018Comment
THE EVOLUTION OF THE EYE - How Anatomy Can Change Our Perception
THE EVOLUTION OF THE EYE - How Anatomy Can Change Our Perception

Different species evolved different types of eyes, depending on the needs of their environment. Did you ever stop to notice that some animals have eyes on the side of their head? Why are ours so frontal? And why the eyes of a fly look so different?

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AnatomyMatteo RovattiJune 29, 2018Comment
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