DEVELOPMENT OF 3-DIMENSIONAL WHOLE-BODY MUSCULOSKELETAL MODEL FOR VARIOUS MOTION ANALYSES

A simulation model for biomechanical analysis was developed in order t o calculate the internal loads, such as muscular tension and energy co nsumption, from measured kinesiological data for various kinds of moti on. In this model, the human body is divided into a maximum of ninetee n rigid segments connected to each other with ball joints. A maximum o f 156 skeletal muscles throughout the body are modeled as tensile forc e generators which include physiological elements that consume mechani cal energy. The component ratio among muscle fiber types, number of bo dy segments and number of degrees of joint freedom can be changed easi ly, and according to the alteration of the segment number, the musculo skeletal system is changed automatically. This flexibility is of benef it in application of the method to various motion analyses. Three-dime nsional bipedal walking was analyzed using a simplified model, and row ing motions were analyzed using the whole-body model.