Meta builds AI platform to develop prosthetics, realistic 3D avatars

NEW DELHI: Meta (formerly Facebook) has released MyoSuite, an embodied artificial intelligence (AI) platform that could have significant impact in developing prosthetics and post-injury rehabilitation, along with creating more realistic 3D avatars.

The musculoskeletal models in MyoSuite are up to 4,000 times faster than other simulators at meeting the data requirements of modern machine learning (ML) algorithms.

"This research could accelerate development of prosthetics, physical rehab, and surgery techniques. It could also help us develop more realistic avatars for the metaverse," said Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO.

MyoSuite is a set of musculoskeletal models and tasks that enable the application of ML to solve biomechanic control problems.

"MyoSuite unifies the two facets of intelligence: motor and neural. We're releasing MyoSuite and open-sourcing a set of comprehensive benchmarks for the ML community to enable continued research in this area," Meta said in a statement.

The researchers developed and solved a few of the most complex motor control behaviours that haven't been done before -- including dexterous manipulation, like twirling a pen in your hand or turning a key.

"We have made significant progress on challenging tasks such as the simultaneous manipulation of two Baoding balls in one hand," said Meta.

MyoSuite is a collaboration between Meta AI and the University of Twente in the Netherlands.

It is designed from the ground up as a comprehensive platform for investigating the physiological details behind musculoskeletal motor control.

"Not only can MyoSuite synthesize behaviors, but the comprehensive platform can also facilitate applications with real-life implications, such as rehabilitation, surgery, and shared autonomy assistive devices," Meta noted.

The company said it's opening up the musculoskeletal models built through MyoSuite to researchers.