Modeling and simulation of complex dynamic musculoskeletal architectures

Xiaotian Zhang, Fan Kiat Chan, Tejaswin Parthasarathy and Mattia Gazzola ()
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Xiaotian Zhang: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Fan Kiat Chan: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Tejaswin Parthasarathy: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mattia Gazzola: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Natural creatures, from fish and cephalopods to snakes and birds, combine neural control, sensory feedback and compliant mechanics to effectively operate across dynamic, uncertain environments. In order to facilitate the understanding of the biophysical mechanisms at play and to streamline their potential use in engineering applications, we present here a versatile numerical approach to the simulation of musculoskeletal architectures. It relies on the assembly of heterogenous, active and passive Cosserat rods into dynamic structures that model bones, tendons, ligaments, fibers and muscle connectivity. We demonstrate its utility in a range of problems involving biological and soft robotic scenarios across scales and environments: from the engineering of millimeter-long bio-hybrid robots to the synthesis and reconstruction of complex musculoskeletal systems. The versatility of this methodology offers a framework to aid forward and inverse bioengineering designs as well as fundamental discovery in the functioning of living organisms.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12759-5

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