Musculoskeletal Modeling & Control

In Musculoskeletal Modeling and Control group, we are developing the tools and methods that will enable the clinicians to systematically fit the BION®s to individual patients to restore their lost motor functions after stroke or spinal cord injury.

We study the control of human movement in health and disability using computer models and experimental studies. We have developed computer models of the musculoskeletal systems and components that can be used to test and evaluate FES controllers before actual clinical implementation.

We are conducting basic research to learn from the control strategies employed by the human central nervous system and apply this knowledge to the design of biomimetic FES controllers to restore normal movements to the paralyzed patients. Our basic and applied studies depend heavily on the availability of appropriate modeling software. We have developed several musculoskeletal modeling packages that are available for download from this web page (see below). We hope that the free distribution of these software tools will help advance the field of musculoskeletal modeling and control and benefit the community at large.

Current topics for model development:

Musculoskeletal Models
Human Arm Model
Muscle Spindle with fusimotor control
The Golgi Tendon Organ
Pressure Ulcers

FES Control of Reach and Grasp
Motion Analysis of Normal Reach and Grasp Movements
FES Control of Reach and Grasp Movements
Virtual Reality Testing of FES Controllers

Modeling Software
MSMS - MusculoSkeletal Modeling Software
MMS - Musculoskeletal Modeling in Simulink
Virtual Muscle

Publications


Alfred Mann Institute University of Southern California