Neural Control and Learning of Simulated Hand Movements With an EMG-Based Closed-Loop Interface

Fuente: arXiv
Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Hodossy, Balint K., Farina, Dario
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
_version_ 1866917322059415552
author Hodossy, Balint K.
Farina, Dario
author_facet Hodossy, Balint K.
Farina, Dario
contents The standard engineering approach when facing uncertainty is modelling. Mixing data from a well-calibrated model with real recordings has led to breakthroughs in many applications of AI, from computer vision to autonomous driving. This type of model-based data augmentation is now beginning to show promising results in biosignal processing as well. However, while these simulated data are necessary, they are not sufficient for virtual neurophysiological experiments. Simply generating neural signals that reproduce a predetermined motor behaviour does not capture the flexibility, variability, and causal structure required to probe neural mechanisms during control tasks. In this study, we present an in silico neuromechanical model that combines a fully forward musculoskeletal simulation, reinforcement learning, and sequential, online electromyography synthesis. This framework provides not only synchronised kinematics, dynamics, and corresponding neural activity, but also explicitly models feedback and feedforward control in a virtual participant. In this way, online control problems can be represented, as the simulated human adapts its behaviour via a learned RL policy in response to a neural interface. For example, the virtual user can learn hand movements robust to perturbations or the control of a virtual gesture decoder. We illustrate the approach using a gesturing task within a biomechanical hand model, and lay the groundwork for using this technique to evaluate neural controllers, augment training datasets, and generate synthetic data for neurological conditions.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_07364
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Neural Control and Learning of Simulated Hand Movements With an EMG-Based Closed-Loop Interface
Hodossy, Balint K.
Farina, Dario
Quantitative Methods
Human-Computer Interaction
Neurons and Cognition
The standard engineering approach when facing uncertainty is modelling. Mixing data from a well-calibrated model with real recordings has led to breakthroughs in many applications of AI, from computer vision to autonomous driving. This type of model-based data augmentation is now beginning to show promising results in biosignal processing as well. However, while these simulated data are necessary, they are not sufficient for virtual neurophysiological experiments. Simply generating neural signals that reproduce a predetermined motor behaviour does not capture the flexibility, variability, and causal structure required to probe neural mechanisms during control tasks. In this study, we present an in silico neuromechanical model that combines a fully forward musculoskeletal simulation, reinforcement learning, and sequential, online electromyography synthesis. This framework provides not only synchronised kinematics, dynamics, and corresponding neural activity, but also explicitly models feedback and feedforward control in a virtual participant. In this way, online control problems can be represented, as the simulated human adapts its behaviour via a learned RL policy in response to a neural interface. For example, the virtual user can learn hand movements robust to perturbations or the control of a virtual gesture decoder. We illustrate the approach using a gesturing task within a biomechanical hand model, and lay the groundwork for using this technique to evaluate neural controllers, augment training datasets, and generate synthetic data for neurological conditions.
title Neural Control and Learning of Simulated Hand Movements With an EMG-Based Closed-Loop Interface
topic Quantitative Methods
Human-Computer Interaction
Neurons and Cognition
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.07364