New Capabilities for the Virtual-Human Santos™ 2006-01-0697

This paper presents new capabilities of the virtual-human Santos™ introduced last year. Santos™ is an avatar that has extensive modeling and simulation features. It is a digital human model with over 100 degrees-of-freedom (DOF), where the hand model has 25 DOF, direct optimization-based method, and real-human like appearance. The newly developed analysis includes (1) a 25-DOF hand model that is the first step to study hand grasping; (2) posture prediction advances such as multiple end-effectors (two arms, two arms + head + legs), real-time inverse kinematics for posture prediction for any points, vision functionality; (3) dynamic motion prediction with external loads; and (4) musculosteletal modeling that includes determining muscle forces, and muscle stress. With these newly developed capabilities Santos™ can be used to test the joystick design, study grasping, facilitate vehicle interior design, test visibility for product design, predict correct dynamic motion or posture subject to external loads, and investigate muscle forces, and muscle stress. Finally, additional ongoing projects are summarized.