ICNPAA 2010: Mathematical Problems in
Engineering, Aerospace and Sciences

We demonstrate the practical application of methods developed for identification of linear, nonlinear and hybrid (multimode) systems to human physiology. Although these tools were developed with biological applications in mind, they are generalisable to a large set of problems that span many disciplines. After an introduction to the system identification problem and model class considered in our work, we demonstrate the usefulness of a computational biology approach to the study of human biology. Two specific topics are highlighted, the modelling and identification of the human (i) neuromuscular and (ii) vestibular ocular reflex system. These topics are of importance to NASA's Digital Astronaut Project for long term human space exploration.

Results demonstrate that a computational biology approach to predicting the effects of spaceflight on the human body may allow for characterisation of disease, early detection and quantification of ocular disease and balance disorder and better design of robotic motor control systems.