Electromechanical analogs of human reflexes.
The conclusion to be drawn from our modeling is that the combined stretch and tendon reflexes alone can endow artificial muscle with a springlike feel as well as give it a baseline tone. In response to questions that motor physiologists often ask as to what variables the system controls, the answer here is clear: the stretch and tendon reflexes act together to maintain both a tension set-point and a length set-point, but in so doing they also give the system a springlike feel because of the existence of a servo error. The main goal of our studies is to understand the integration of reflexes, and thus far we have only begun to explore the two lowest-level spinal reflexes. We are in the process of expanding this work by developing a much more refined arm explicitly modeled after the human arm. This new arm is to be activated by a minimum of 10 muscles, each of which is reflexively driven, and it will allow us to explore the integration of higher-level reflex action such as automatic inhibition of antagonists and facilitation of synergists.
Littman
M G
MG
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, New Jersey 08544.
Liker
M
M
Stubbeman
W
W
Russakow
J
J
McGee
C
C
Gelfand
J
J
Call
B J
BJ
D006801:Humans; D008961:Models, Structural; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000502:physiology*