Computer simulation study of human locomotion with a three-dimensional entire-body neuro-musculo-skeletal model (I. Acquisition of normal walking)

A model having a three-dimensional entire-body structure and consisting of both the neuronal system and the musculo-skeletal system was proposed to precisely simulate human walking motion. The dynamics of the human body was represented by a 14-rigid-link system and 60 muscular models. The neuronal system was represented by three sub-systems : the rhythm generator system consisting of 32 neural oscillators, the sensory feedback system, and the peripheral system expressed by static optimization. Unknown neuronal parameters were adjusted by a numerical search method using the evaluative criterion for locomotion that was defined by a hybrid between the locomotive energy efficiency and the smoothness of the muscular tensions. The model could successfully generate continuous and three-dimensional walking patterns and stabilized walking against mechanical perturbation. The walking pattern was more stable than that of the model based on dynamic optimization, and more precise than that of the previous model based on a similar neuronal system.