Below are a few documents that may be helpful to read while examining the arm model. They discuss the physics of the arm and the motion it undergoes, characteristics of different cells in the neural network used in this model, and the creation of a simulated human neural network.
Fall 2008 Presentation to the Biorobotics Course
These are the powerpoint slides from a guest lecture in 2008.
Muscles
The characteristics of the human muscle are discussed in this paper, including characteristics of
the different muscle fibers and their reaction to stimuli.
Author: Dr. Richard B. Wells
This paper discusses the physical mechanics involved in recreating a human arm model, including
the physics of the limbs, joint, and muscles with their individual contractile elements.
Author: Dr. Richard B. Wells
This paper discusses the muscle spindles located within each muscle bundle that are able to
detect changes in contracting velocity.
Author: Dr. Richard B. Wells
This paper discusses the basic components of the spinal sensorimotor system, such as the placement
and function of certain cells located within the spinal cord, as well as sensory cells located near
the surface of the skin.
Author: Dr. Richard B. Wells
This paper discusses the function of each neural network cell in more depth, especially the Alpha-
and Gamma- motoneurons, touching on their similarities and differences.
Author: Dr. Richard B. Wells
This paper focuses on the motoneuron cells and their interactions with the cells that surround them,
as well as their functional role in movement.
Author: Dr. Richard B. Wells
In this paper, the integrate-and-fire phenomenon used in the model is discussed in terms of how and
why neurons sustain a refractory period after they propagate a signal.
Author: Dr. Richard B. Wells