Simulation of Spinal Muscle Control in Human Gait Using OpenSim

This paper presents a neuro-musculoskeletal simulation approach to human gait based on an original model of central pattern generator and the muscle synergy approach. The controller, shown here, aims at simplifying movement control by reducing the number of parameters to optimize. The model of the simplified motor coordination chain was built, from the midbrain through spinal neurons to the muscles allowing of simulating some neural and muscular values of gait, hard to obtain otherwise. The work also includes a bio-inspired reflex-based balance controller designed from knowledge of spinal gait. The used anatomic musculoskeletal model has been implemented in OpenSim platform. Time simulations show the ability of the platform to be able to produce different gait patterns including nominal and disturbed. Both gaits are controlled by the same bio-inspired closed-loop CPG- and reflex-based circuitries. After 2 second standing phase, the model was able to walk for about 5 meters with 10 steps. 2 steps were disrupted in the second simulation.