Advanced modeling environment for developing and testing FES control systems

Realistic models of neuromusculoskeletal systems can provide a safe and convenient environment for the design and evaluation of controllers for functional electrical stimulation (FES) prior to clinical trials. We have developed a set of integrated musculoskeletal modeling tools to facilitate the model building process. Simulink models of musculoskeletal systems are created using two software packages developed in our laboratory, Musculoskeletal Modeling in Simulink (mms) and virtual muscle, in addition to one software package available commercially, simm (Musculographics Inc., USA). mms converts anatomically accurate musculoskeletal models generated by simm into Simulink® blocks. It also removes run-time constraints on kinetic simulations in simm, and allows the development of complex musculoskeletal models without writing a line of code. Virtual muscle builds realistic Simulink models of muscles responding to either natural recruitment or FES. Models of sensorimotor control systems can be developed using various Matlab® (Mathworks Inc., USA) toolboxes and integrated easily with these musculoskeletal blocks in the graphical environment of Simulink.