Center for Animal Locomotion & Innovation (CALI)

The consortium

CALI is a transdisciplinary research consortium and shared facility at UC Davis. Founded in 2026, we bring together engineering, veterinary medicine, and biology to study how animals move. We're growing into a multi-institution network.

We're in our founding phase — expanding our research network, identifying shared priorities, and building teams for collaborative proposals, training, and a new peer mentoring program.

Animal locomotion links biomechanics, robotics, health, and conservation.

A high-speed difference image tracing a bird's motion in the flight hall.

Measure & Model Locomotion

Track and simulate locomotion to reveal how animals generate forces and moments to control movement.

A rehabilitated raptor at the moment of release.

Restore & Enhance Movement

Translate insights into rehabilitation strategies and bio-inspired assistive technologies.

A wild raptor in flight against the sky.

Predict & Protect in the Wild

Use movement data to guide conservation decisions in changing environments.

Close-up of the OptiTrack motion-capture cameras lining the CALI flight hall.

Locomotion-focused imaging facility

A shared, staff-operated flight hall for high-resolution motion capture and high-speed imaging, at the California Raptor Center on the UC Davis campus.

3D motion capture + high-speed imaging
Sub-millimeter tracking
Controlled-environment hall
Daylight-balanced lighting

Equipment

CALI equipment, by category.
Motion capture	44 × OptiTrack VersaX 120 — 12.6 MP (4096 × 3072), 300 fps
Reference video	4 × OptiTrack Prime Color — 2 MP (1920 × 1080), 250 fps
High-speed imaging	8 × Phantom VEO 440L — 4 MP (2560 × 1600), 1,100 fps at full resolution1 × Phantom VEO-E 340L — 4 MP (2560 × 1600), 800 fps at full resolution
Lighting	14 × GSVITEC MultiLED MX — 50,000 lumen, controlled by GX8
Reconstruction	2 × custom high-performance workstations
Animal housing	4 attached mews
Hall	70ft × 20ft hall, with security and monitoring systems
Site	California Raptor Center, UC Davis

Our story

Milestones

July 2026
First external visiting team! Dr. Chris Clark's group from UC Riverside filmed barn owls in the flight hall to study silent flight.
May 2026
CALI's official grand opening.
January 2026
BIRD Lab and the California Hawking Club collaboration for the first CALI recordings.
July 2025
Facility keys obtained.
November 2024
Ground breaking ceremony.
February 2024
ARO DURIP awarded that initiated the beginning of CALI.

In the news

Center for Animal Locomotion and Innovation opens UC Davis Engineering · 2026
5 exciting projects coming to UC Davis UC Davis Magazine · 2025
Bird Flight Research Center breaks ground at UC Davis UC Davis Engineering · 2024
New UC Davis research center combines biology, engineering to study bird flight The Aggie · 2024
UC Davis establishes Bird Flight Research Center UC Davis · 2024

All coverage →

Team

Engineers, veterinarians, and biologists across various institutions.

Directors

Advisors

Helping us figure out how the consortium will work.

Affiliates

Research partners who've used the space, or will be working with us.

In partnership with

California Hawking Club

California Raptor Center

Using CALI

CALI is a UC Davis recharge facility. Staff operate every session; rates are per day and set by user type.

Request a quote →

Effective July 1, 2026, approved by UC Davis Finance, Costing Policy & Analysis (CPA); subject to change.

CALI recharge rates, per day, effective July 1, 2026.
Service	UC Davis & UC	Non-UC & non-profit	Industry
CALI-BasicNon-animal studies	$909	$1,377	$1,513
CALI-AnimalLive-animal, trainer-supported	$2,620	$3,969	$4,362
CALI-OwnerOwner-provided animals (MOU)	$925	$1,401	$1,540

Get involved

Work with CALI's flight hall and team. Three ways in:

Use the facility

Book the flight hall and imaging systems as a recharge user.

See rates →

Collaborate

Co-develop a study, start a working group, or bring CALI into a grant proposal.

Start a conversation →

Become a founding affiliate

We're still working out how the consortium runs. Founding affiliates help decide.

Get in touch →

CALI is part of the BIRD Lab at UC Davis · Our other facilities · Research · Contact

CALI