# EMU: Efficient Muscle Simulation In Deformation Space

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.08821 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2006.08821/

## Key facts

- Cited by 5 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 15 Jun 2020.

## Built on by (most cited first, 5 of 5)

- [OstrichRL: A Musculoskeletal Ostrich Simulation to Study Bio-mechanical Locomotion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.06061/) (2021)
- [Temporal Residual Jacobians For Rig-free Motion Transfer](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.14958/) (2024)
- [SMF: Template-free and Rig-free Animation Transfer using Kinetic Codes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.04831/) (2025)
- [Agent-based Modeling and Simulation of Human Muscle For Development of Human Gait Analyzer Application](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.12760/) (2022)
- [SOMA: From Surface Observations to Muscle Anatomy](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.09246/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

EMU is an efficient and scalable model to simulate bulk musculoskeletal motion with heterogenous materials. First, EMU requires no model reductions, or geometric coarsening, thereby producing results visually accurate when compared to an FEM simulation. Second, EMU is efficient and scales much better than state-of-the-art FEM with the number of elements in the mesh, and is more easily parallelizable. Third, EMU can handle heterogeneously stiff meshes with an arbitrary constitutive model, thus allowing it to simulate soft muscles, stiff tendons and even stiffer bones all within one unified system. These three key characteristics of EMU enable us to efficiently orchestrate muscle activated skeletal movements. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach via a number of examples with tendons, muscles, bones and joints.