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When studying motor control, for instance in the form of swimming and
walking, it becomes necessary to model also the system controlled in
order to incorporate the closed loop control. Based on the experience
gained in our study of the planar movements of the swimming lamprey
under neuronal control
, we designed SAROS, a general purpose 3D multibody
dynamics simulator.
The mechanical structures to be simulated are described as stiff bodies joined together by various types of joints (spherical, universal, hinge, etc.). Controllable visco-elastic linear and torsion springs are used as actuators. Touch, distance and angle sensors can be included to allow measurements of posture and detection of ground contact. This information is continuously sent back to the controller while the simulation is running.
SAROS includes a specification language that allows the user to
conventiently describe the mechanical system without having to modify
the program. SAROS is now fully functional and is being used in
several simulation studies, in particular the 3D mechanical
simulations of the swimming lamprey
and the simulations of our walking robots
.
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