´óÏó´«Ã½

So today I've been filming at the University of Birmingham where they've been simulating treetops and monkeys. Using experts in parkour or "free running" to pretend to be orangutans who then have to navigate the university gym while wearing scientific equipment.

Turns out real apes don't like wearing masks and computers to monitor their CO2 and oxygen levels and hence energy used swinging through the trees. But Brendon from EMP Parkour is happy to oblige and also to mimic monkey movement. Turns out he tries to copy what gibbons do for some moves anyway.

In the past researchers have used rock climbers for this sort of study, but the movement of parkour is a closer fit to how apes really behave.

The aim is to understand how the behaviour of orangutans is shaped by the energy needed for some movement which is in turn shaped by the environment and available food. It might also reveal something about how our evolutionary ancestors moved as well.

It was certainly an entertaining morning and there's some great footage from the minicam Brendon wore on his head during one run. Watch it here.