A note on the reduced creep function corresponding to the quasi-linear visco-elastic model proposed by Fung.

For description of the visco-elastic behavior of soft biological tissues, Fung proposed a visco-elastic model formulated in terms of a relaxation function and corresponding relaxation spectrum. For the corresponding creep function, Fung proposed an expression which needs correction to obtain a consistent formulation. This creep function and the corresponding creep spectrum are derived in this note.

An experimental approach to evaluate the dynamic behavior of the human knee.

An experimental approach for an in vitro investigation of some aspects of dynamic force transmission through the human knee joint is presented. Essentially, the behavior of the joint was analyzed by measuring the responses to low level random excitation of the tibia while the femur was clamped. A global equilibrium position of the joint was attained by exerting static forces on the tibia via three tendinous muscle attachments. The responses to the applied dynamic loads were measured using a multi-channel dynamic measuring system and quantified by means of transfer function analysis techniques. Some preliminary experimental results are presented to illustrate the effects of variation of the direction and the magnitude of the applied dynamic and static loads.

A least-squares algorithm for the equiform transformation from spatial marker co-ordinates.

The present paper describes an algorithm for estimating the translation vector and the rotation matrix of a moving body from noisy measurements on the spatial co-ordinates of at least three non-collinear markers. A sensitivity analysis of the estimated parameters and of the helical axis is presented in terms of characteristics of the marker distribution. The implementation of the proposed algorithm in a FORTRAN-subroutine is appended.

Parameter estimation using the quasi-linear viscoelastic model proposed by Fung.

Using the quasi-linear viscoelastic model proposed by Fung for the description of the viscoelastic properties of soft biological tissues, the parameters governing their time-dependent behavior are commonly estimated from relaxation experiments. Exact quantification is possible from the response to a step change in the strain. Since it is physically impossible to realize a true step change in the strain, in practice the response to a steplike strain change is used. In the present study the discrepancies between the exact and the estimated parameter values are investigated using a hypothetical quasi-linear viscoelastic material. The parameter tau 1, governing the fast viscous phenomena, is found to be subject to the largest errors. Methods for obtaining better estimates of tau 1 are outlined in a number of special cases.