A Simplified Model for Head-Neck Segment Fast Movements in the Frontal Plane

Abstract

The objective of the current work is to develop a simplified model representing the physiological systems acting during fast head movements in frontal plane. All the contributions mechanically concurring to the head movement have been considered: voluntary force generation, viscosity, stiffness, physiological limit to movement range, gravitational field contribution and gamma reflex, depending on spindle activity. Model parameters have been partly derived form literature, when possible, whereas undetermined blocks parameters have been determined by optimising model output correspondence to real data acquired by ELITETM system in specific designed experimental set-ups. The optimisation have been performed by genetic algorithms. Results show that the model studied is very well representing fast head movements in the whole range of inclination in the frontal plane. Such model is, thus, proposed as a tool for transforming kinematics data on head movements in "neural equivalent data", especially for the assessing head control deasease and planning properly the rehabilitation process.