1. to understand the organization of reflex-based movements in a frog and to study their capabilities in incorporating feedback signals.
2. to explore the techniques used by the spinal cord (if any) to simplify motion organization and correction.
this project incorporates 3 main areas:
1. construct a musculo-skeletal model using highly detailed 3D imaging of whole frog body to identify locations of muscle spindle and GTO receptors
2. obtain EMG and force data from real frog reflexes (from an adult spinalized bullfrog)
3. use the detailed model and the EMG data to drive the smiulation and predict the best possible network that could incorporate afferent feedback and reproduce the observed movement in the real frog
for the future: incorporate detailed anatomical 3D muscle models (finite element or strand based) to this mix