CMBBE 2024 OpenSim Workshop
- Nicholas Bianco
The OpenSim Team will host a hands-on software workshop on Wednesday July 31st at the 19th International Symposium on Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineeering (CMBBE 2024). Details about the workshop content and instructions for setting up simulation environments for the hands-on software demos can be found below.
Overview
Musculoskeletal simulations provide a way to gain deep insights into how movement is coordinated. New tools for rapidly developing musculoskeletal simulations are enabling more researchers to leverage simulations by reducing the barrier to entry. In this workshop, we will present how our ecosystem of OpenSim tools for rapidly creating simulations, including from smartphone videos using OpenCap, and new features we’ve added to our Python and Jupyter notebook interfaces make it easier to generate simulations. With a combination of didactic portions and hands-on examples, participants will learn about OpenSim’s tools for creating simulations, and how to import movement data, create muscle-driven simulations, and analyze the results.
Attendees will learn:
To understand the capabilities of tools available in the OpenSim ecosystem, including OpenCap for motion capture with smartphones
To write Python code and use Jupyter notebooks to generate, analyze, and share simulations
To understand validation approaches and potential research applications of the software
Setup instructions
The first portion of the workshop will demonstrate OpenCap. There is no hands-on coding segment for this software demonstration, but use the following link to open an interactive OpenCap session with pre-recorded data::
The second and third portions of the workshop will demonstrate how to utilize the Python scripting interface in OpenSim to perform analyses, create visualizations, and generate muscle-driven simulations. We will use interactive Jupyter notebooks through Google Colab to demonstrate the OpenSim Python interface, and you may use these notebooks follow along with each software demonstration during the workshop.
Google Colab
Google Colab is a free service for hosting Jupyter notebooks in the cloud along with computing services. The condacolab project enables install Conda environments directly into a Jupyter notebook.
To get started, simply click the links below to open the interactive Jupyter notebook for each hands-on software demo.
Demo 2: Analyzing movement data with OpenSim scripting in Python
Demo 3: Creating muscle-driven simulations with OpenSim Moco
GitHub repository
All of the workshop materials are hosted on GitHub and can be freely shared or modified for your own purposes. The GitHub repository also contains additional instructions for installing OpenSim into a local Python scripting environment. However, we strongly recommend using Google Colab for the hands-on workshop demonstrations.
Resources
Learn more about OpenCap here.
Learn more about Scripting in Python with OpenSim here.
View the OpenSim 4.5.1 API documentation here.
Visit the Moco website here.
Download the Moco cheat sheet:
Slides
Workshop survey
Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey below to help improve our software tools and teaching materials.
OpenSim is supported by the Mobilize Center , an NIH Biomedical Technology Resource Center (grant P41 EB027060); the Restore Center , an NIH-funded Medical Rehabilitation Research Resource Network Center (grant P2C HD101913); and the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance through the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation. See the People page for a list of the many people who have contributed to the OpenSim project over the years. ©2010-2024 OpenSim. All rights reserved.