Computational Models of Humans

我的长期目标是创建有用的计算模型，研究人类如何移动以及如何与环境进行物理互动。重点不在于运动数据的黑盒建模。相反，它是对底层系统本身建模，作为一个生物机器：马达（肌肉）、传感器（尤其是肌肉和皮肤中的机械感受器）、结构（骨骼和结缔组织）和软件（神经控制）。通过对潜在的感觉运动系统进行建模，我们可以更好地对新情况进行概括，并获得对生物学原理的基本见解。在短期内，我们可以创造出更可信的人类角色的电脑动画。具体而言，我建议重点关注以下几点。***(1)欧拉软组织模拟。欧拉离散化在我以前的工作中显示出很大的希望，但构成了与标准拉格朗日方法的根本背离。我将系统地探讨它的优势和局限性，并确定其显著的优势，使其成为未来软组织模拟的标准。***(2)逼真皮肤模型。有好的算法是不够的；一个模型还必须反映真实的人体生理。我的目标是开发一个基于体内测量的真实人体皮肤机械行为的模拟准备结构和统计模型。***(3)手系。将手建模为一个由许多相互作用的部分组成的感觉运动系统，将有助于深入了解它为什么如此有效。我将把重点放在手上，因为它是我们与物理世界（包括计算机）互动的主要效应器，也是皮肤和软组织在手部功能中的关键作用。***这种虚拟人体模型在广泛的应用中是必需的。计算机动画的一个中心目标是合成人类角色与其环境的相互作用。人类运动的真实模型在生物力学、神经科学和医学中也很重要，并可能导致基于生物学原理的新机器人设计。***学生和博士后学员将参与本研究的各个方面，并将在跨学科的环境中获得广泛的技能，包括开发先进的仿真软件系统，使用世界一流的仪器，生物力学和计算机图形学对人体软组织进行测量和分析。

My long term goal is to create useful computational models of how humans move and physically interact with their environment. The focus is not on black-box modeling of movement data. Rather, it is on modeling the underlying system itself, as a biological machine: the motors (muscles), sensors (esp. mechanoreceptors in muscle and skin), structures (skeleton and connective tissues), and software (neural control). By modeling the underlying sensorimotor system we could achieve better generalization to novel situations and gain fundamental insights into biological principles. In the near term, we could create more believable computer animations of human characters.***Specifically, I propose to focus on the following.***(1) EULERIAN SOFT TISSUE SIMULATION. Eulerian discretization has shown great promise in my previous work, but constitutes a radical departure from the standard Lagrangian approach. I will systematically explore its strengths and limitations, and identify the significant advantages that could make it the future standard for soft tissue simulation.***(2) REALISTIC SKIN MODEL. It is not sufficient to have good algorithms; a model must also reflect real human physiology. My goal is to develop a simulation-ready structural and statistical model of the mechanical behavior of real human skin, based on in vivo measurements.***(3) HAND SYSTEM. Modeling the hand as a sensorimotor system with many interacting parts will provide deep insights into why it is so effective. I will focus on the hand since it is our primary effector for interacting with the physical world (including computers) and the key role of skin and soft tissues in hand function. ***Such virtual human models are required in an enormous range of applications. A central goal of computer animation is the synthesis of human characters interacting with their environment. Realistic models of human movement are also important in biomechanics, neuroscience, and medicine, and could lead to new robot designs based on biological principles.***Students and postdoctoral trainees are involved in all aspects of this research, and will acquire a broad range of skills in an interdisciplinary environment, including development of advanced simulation software systems, measurement and analysis of human soft tissues with world class instrumentation, biomechanics, and computer graphics.