SBIR-STTR Award

An advanced human simulation system could serve as a digital biomechanics laboratory in which simulated humans perform useful tasks under novel conditions. It will allow us to measure loads, forces, and energy levels in humans that are difficult if not impossible to obtain any other way. It could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of clothing,footwear, equipment or movement strategies. Rapid evaluation cycles using simulation will shorten the product development and acquisition cycle. To test the design and effect of equipment on human performance, we must be able to simulate realistic, life-like behaviors such as running, walking, crawling, and throwing. Physics-based simulation provides the data and flexibility we need in an experimental tool. However, physical simulations need control systems to produce coordinated behavior. There are currently no general techniques for designing control systems for life-like human motion. We propose a novel control design method for complex human behaviors. Our approach combines the life-like motion of recorded human data with the flexibility and rigor of physics-based simulation. We will apply this control design techniqueto the simulation and control of dynamic running. The resulting simulation will produce life-like human running and physical data suitablefor analysis. The simulation will accommodate changes in running speed, incline, and backpack weight and produce data regarding the forces, loads, and energy of the virtual subject.

Benefits:
Companies thatproduce equipment for athletes, soldiers, or civilians could use an advanced human simulation systems as a means of rapidly designing and valuating products for human use. Combining simulation of the individual with group level simulation and control could provide means of analyzing how group performance is affected by equipment or logistics.

An advanced human simulation system could serve as a digital biomoehanics laboratory in which simulated humans perform useful tasks under novel conditions. It will allow us to perform experiments on simulated humans that are too difficult, costly, or dangerous to perform otherwise. Such a tool could he used to evaluate the effectiveness or clothing, footwear, equipment or movement strategies. Rapid product evaluation cycles using simulation will shorten the product development and acquisition cycle. To test the design and effect of equipment on human performance, we must be able to simulate realistic, life-like behaviors such as running, walking, crawling, and climbing, In our Phase I SBIR project we demonstrated a novel control design technique that allowed us to create lifelike, physics-based simulations of running at different speeds, with varying backpack loads and over varying terrain. Our approach combines the life-like motion of recorded human data with the flexibility and rigor of physics-based simulation. In the Phase II project we will build and test a digital Biomechanics Laboratory system and apply it to an important design or analysis problem of the Army. The resulting system will support a range of useful behaviors, human models, equipment models, data gathering tools, and terrain conditions. It will include an easy-to-use interface and it will run on PCs and SGIs.

Benefits:
Companies that produce equipment for athletes, soldiers, or civilians could use an advanced human simulation systems as a means of rapidly designing and evaluating products for human use. Researchers could study the principles of human performance and injury

Keywords:
realistic biomechanics dynamic control simulation physics human pattern