Optimal task performance of antagonistic muscles.

Movements against a variety of loads are relatively invariant in form. These movements are controlled in general by antagonistic groups of muscles. In this paper optimal control strategies are computed for coupling antagonistic muscles so as to minimize deviations from a desired trajectory. Simulations are presented for linear and nonlinear "decision functions" linking control of the two muscles for a variety of movements in a way that may be compared with experimental observations.