Investigation of Human Whole Body Motion Using a Three-Dimensional Neuromusculoskeletal Model

We have been developing computer simulation models of the human body in order to simulate various forms of motions, e.g., walking, standing and jumping. In the earlier phase of our research, we utilized a simulation model of the human lower extremity that has nine rigid body segments. The number of degrees of freedom of the model was twenty. Using this model, two forms of jumping motions were simulated: a vertical jumping and a horizontal jumping. Behavior of muscles, tendons, joints and body segments were compared in detail between these two forms of jumping. In the latter phase of our research, we constructed another simulation model of the human whole body that has sixteen rigid body segments. The number of degrees of freedom of the model was thirty-five. Two major differences of this model from the previous one were: (1) the newly developed model has head, arms, hands, as well as three independent segments in the trunk, and (2) this model was developed so that the simulation program can be executed on any computers simultaneously. This modification enables us to simulate complex human whole body motions (such as throwing) fully utilizing the available computation power. 1. Computer simulation of maximal-effort vertical jumping 1.