Human motor performance is a key area of investigation in biomechanics, robotics, and machine learning. Understanding human neuromuscular control is important to synthesize prosthetic motions and ensure safe human-robot interaction. Building controllable biomechanical models through modeling and algorithmic tools from both robotics and biomechanics increases our scientific understanding of musculoskeletal mechanics and control. The resulting models can consequently help quantifying the characteristics of a subject’s motion and in designing effective treatments, like predictive simulations and motion training. My objective is to explore how neural control dictates motor performance in humans by developing a portable, soft, cyberphysical system and a computational framework - which incorporates real-time roboticsbased control, AI-based perception and learning, and OpenSim’s musculoskeletal models. In this talk, I will present the modeling, control, and simulation components of this new framework with two examples on human manipulation and locomotion skills. The presented framework has promise to advance the field of rehabilitation robotics by deepening our scientific understanding of human motor performance dictated by musculoskeletal physics and neural control. Automated and real-time motion improvement and retraining, facilitated with such frameworks, promise to transform the neuromuscular health, longevity, and independence of millions of people, utilizing a cost effective approach.
