Advanced User Workshop March 2019

This workshop covers advanced topics in OpenSim. The workshop is an opportunity to learn more about how OpenSim works "under the hood" and get supervised, hands-on assistance with problems participants bring to the workshop. On the first day, participants will introduce their projects. The second and third days will be devoted to working on problems participants bring to the workshop. Participants have the opportunity to work in small breakout groups with OpenSim experts on their research problems.

This set of wiki pages hosts slides, relevant links, participant project information, and other materials for the workshop.

Please Note: This workshop is only open to winners of Pilot Project awards. The next OpenSim workshop will be in late summer or early fall of 2019. 

Since many of the projects in the workshop are using Matlab scripting, we have also created a page with important links and troubleshooting information for Matlab scripters:

Matlab Resources for the Advanced User Workshop

Accomplishment Slides

Participants present a goal slide on the first day and an accomplishment slide on the last. The workshop slides are intended to help the OpenSim team, and your fellow Workshop attendees, understand your work, ask questions, and give feedback and support where possible. 

Location, Meals, and Coffee

The workshop location is at Stanford University, Francis C. Arrillaga Alumni Center, 1st Floor Barnes-McDowell-Cranston Conference Rooms. Coffee and tea will be provided. There is a cafe in the Alumni Center that serves lunch and several other lunch options nearby (Download a PDF with links to nearby dining). 

Agenda 

The workshop starts at 9:00 am on Tuesday, March 26 and runs daily (9-5) thru to Thursday, March 28. We will hold an optional tutorial on Wednesday, at 8:15am on new software for optimal control in OpenSim. Anyone is welcome to attend. Download the OpenSim Workshop Agenda.  

Software and Computers

We expect participants to use their own laptops. Power supplies and wireless internet access will be provided.

Awards

Awards voting

Should I use OpenSim 3.3 or 4.0?

Workshop participants will be able to use either OpenSim 3.3 or 4.0. You should discuss which version is best with your Stanford mentors, but here are some guidelines:

• OpenSim 4.0 has a beautiful new visualizer and many helpful new features, so we encourage you to begin migrating to the new software. But if you have already made substantial progress with OpenSim 3.3, it may be easiest to continue using that version.
• If you depend on another OpenSim-based project, use whatever version of OpenSim that project requires.
• You can have both the 3.3 and 4.0 GUIs installed simultaneously, but it is less easy to toggle between 3.3 and 4.0 for the API/scripting.
• Use OpenSim 3.3 for:
  • model editing/building in XML.
• Use OpenSim 4.0 for:
  • scripting,
  • extensive data import/export (in a new project),
  • using the standard Tools through the GUI.

OpenSim 4.0 Download

The software is available for download on the OpenSim SimTK project page. 

Tutorial: Introducing Moco: Optimal Control for OpenSim Models (optional)

On Wednesday, March 27 from 8:15 am – 9:15 am, we will hold a hands-on introduction to OpenSim Moco, a new software package for solving common problems in simulation biomechanics including tracking simulations, predictive simulations, muscle-redundancy problems, and more. Moco brings state-of-the-art direct collocation optimal control methods to the wider biomechanics community without requiring numerical expertise. Moco leverages OpenSim’s existing modeling capabilities to make the transition from model building to simulation a seamless process in your research.

The objectives of the session are to introduce Moco’s features, explain the direct collocation method used by Moco, and optimize a simple movement from scratch.

The tutorial assumes familiarity with Matlab, but experience with direct collocation methods is not required. Participants should bring a Mac or Windows (64-bit) laptop (and charger) with Matlab 2014b or later with Moco installed, or should be willing to team up with another participant. Instructions to set-up Moco are below. We are happy to help you with set-up on Tuesday, as well.

Setup Information

1. Download Moco for Windows or Mac
2. Unzip the OpenSim Moco ZIP file anywhere; for example, C:\opensim-moco
3. If using Windows, set your PATH to include C:\opensim-moco\bin using the following steps:
   1. Start Menu > Search “environment” > “Edit the system environment variables” >
   2. Environment Variables… > Under System variables, select PATH and click Edit… >
   3. Add C:\opensim-moco\bin; to the beginning.
   4. Remove any entries for previous OpenSim installations.
4. Start MATLAB (as Administrator on Windows) and run configureMoco.m, in:
   1. Windows: sdk/Scripts/Matlab
   2. Mac: share/doc/Moco/Scripts/Matlab
5. Restart MATLAB and type >> m = org.opensim.modeling.Model(); m.setUseVisualizer(true); m.initSystem()
   1. You should see an empty Visualizer window. 
   2. Close the empty Visualizer.
6. Make exampleSitToStand your Current Folder:
   1. Windows: sdk/Scripts/Matlab/exampleSitToStand
   2. Mac: share/doc/Moco/Scripts/Matlab/exampleSitToStand