OpenSim: Simulating musculoskeletal dynamics and neuromuscular control to study human and animal movement
Fig 4
The OpenSim framework is used to study the dynamics of human and animal musculoskeletal systems.
An OpenSim Model is a codified description of a physical system and its dynamics, and can be expressed as a topological graph of interconnected components. Each component represents a self-contained module (biological structure, neuromotor controller, mechatronic device, etc.) comprising the Model, and contributes to building the computational system. The computational system consists of two parts: (1) the system of equations (“System”), which includes physical parameters that are constant during a simulation (mass, dimensions, muscle properties, etc.); and (2) the State, which is the list of all variables in the System that may vary over time (e.g., joint angles). The model developer designs an OpenSim Model that represents the physical system of interest, and the OpenSim software automatically constructs the computational system of differential and algebraic equations that describe the dynamics of the Model.