Methods and systems for determining human body model parameters, human body models based on such parameters and simulating human bodies based on such body models

A method for simulating a response of a target person to one or more simulation inputs, the method comprising:

• contacting a first location of a body of a first test subject with a probe tip mechanically connected to a force sensor;
• measuring a first force applied by the probe tip to the first location of the body of the first test subject with the force sensor;
• obtaining a first relative movement, the first relative movement comprising a first movement of the probe tip relative to the first location of the body of the first test subject;
• determining one or more model parameters associated with the first location of the body of the first test subject based on the measured first force and the first relative movement;
• incorporating the one or more model parameters into a target model of at least a portion of a body of a target person;
• obtaining a simulation input for application to the target model;
• and
• over a series of discrete time steps, simulating a response (e.g. movement) of the at least a portion of the body of the target person in response to the simulation input using the target model, wherein simulating the response comprises using the target model to generate, for each discrete time step, at least one of:
• a simulated shape of a surface of the portion of the body of the target person;
• and simulated stresses and strains internal to the portion of the body of the target person.