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Download AnimatLab V1

AnimabLab V1.0 was the first version of AnimatLab published (Cofer et al. 2010a), and it was used in neuromechanical studies on locust jumping (Cofer et al. 2010b; c), human arm flexion (Cofer et al. 2010a), cockroach walking (Szczecinski et al. 2014), and cat paw shaking (Klishko et al. 2013). If you still need version 1 of AnimatLab then you can download it as well, AnimatLab V1.0. The original SDK is also available. However, please be aware that version 1 is no longer being supported. There will be no new updates for this version of the application. So unless you have a really good reason for using the older version I would strongly recommend you use the new version. 

One good reason to use AnimatLab is to view a previously published model that was originally built in 1.0. Most of these models have been converted over to work in version 2 as well, but not all of them. The original Locust simulations and human myotactic reflex simulation from the first AnimatLab papers are available in their original download locations. A version of AnimatLab V1.0, AnimatLab V1.0 Hybrid Experiment, has been used in a study of crayfish leg movements (Chung et al. 2014). A model of a crayfish thorax and leg communicates through an electronic interface with a live preparation of an isolated crayfish ventral nerve cord and the distal portion of one leg.  The “Hybrid Stimulus” (under Stimuli in the Project Workspace) in this version of AnimatLab V1.0 allows the motor nerve activity of the nerve cord to drive motor neurons in the model, and the model stretch receptor to drive the real stretch receptor in the live preparation.  You can download AnimatLab V1.0 Hybrid Experiment here  for a separate installation from AnimatLab V1.0. 

Chung B, Bacque-Cazenave J, Cattaert D, and Edwards DH. The effect of sensory feedback on crayfish posture and locomotion: I. Experimental analysis of closing the loop Journal of Neurophysiology 2014.


Cofer D, Cymbalyuk G, Reid J, Zhu Y, Heitler WJ, and Edwards DH. AnimatLab: A 3D graphics environment for neuromechanical simulations. JNeurosciMethods 187: 280-288, 2010a.


Cofer DW, Cymbalyuk G, Heitler WJ, and Edwards DH. Control of tumbling during the locust jump. JExpBiol 213: 3378-3387, 2010b.


Cofer DW, Cymbalyuk G, Heitler WJ, and Edwards DH. Neuromechanical simulation of the locust jump. JExpBiol 213: 1060-1068, 2010c.


Klishko A, Cofer D, Cymbalyuk G, Edwards DH, and Prilutsky BI. Paw-shake response and locomotion: can one CPG generate two different rhythmic behaviors?BMCNeurosci 13(Suppl 1): P70, 2013.


Szczecinski N, Brown A, Bender J, Quinn R, and Ritzmann R. A neuromechanical simulation of insect walking and transition to turning of the cockroach Blaberus discoidalis. Biological Cybernetics 108: 1-21, 2014.

Why you should upgrade to AnimatLab 2

The main reason I would recommend upgrading to version 2 is that there is no support for version 1 now, and there will be no new updates for that version of the application. However, there are a lot of other really good reasons to upgrade to version 2 as well. Here is a list of some of the new features in version 2.

  • Faster Simulations: The physics engine for version 2 (V2) is much faster than the one used in version 1 (V1).
  • OpenSceneGraph graphics: V2 uses OpenSceneGraph (OSG) for all graphics. This allows you to finally create professional looking graphics withing AnimatLab.
  • Easy use of meshes: V2 makes it much easier to use meshes within your simulations now for both graphics and collisions.
  • Lighting: You now have complete control of lighting within your simulated environment.
  • Control of object visibility: You now have complete control of the visibility of parts within the simulation and editing modes. Unlike in V1, you can see the collision and graphics objects and you can setup how transparent you want any object to look in any of the viewing modes.
  • Simplified workflow: Things like the hierarchy windows and property windows were duplicated for every single window. This made V1 confusing to use. In V2 there is only a single workspace hierarchy tree and properties window.
  • More intuitive windows management: Managing how you wanted your windows shown so you could see multiple things at the same time could be difficult. This is much easier in V2. All the screens are in a tabbed area so you can easily place them where you want and switch between different views. You can split an area among several different views as well.
  • Multiple simulation windows: You can now open as many different views of the simulation window as you want and see the simulation from any angle you need. You can have one window focused on one part of the simulation and a different window focused on another part.
  • Direct editing of the simulation: In V1 you would make a change and then run the simulation. In V2 the simulation is always up, and any changes you make are applied directly to it. Editing of the body parts happens directly in the simulation itself without needing a different body editor window. This means you can make changes to your simulation while it is actually running, and it no longer has a long delay before starting your simulation.
  • Subsystem editing on separate pages: All neural subsystems are shown on their page that can be shown anywhere on the available screen area. This allows you to have different subsystems of the same organism up and and visible in different sections at the same time for editing. This was not possible in V1.
  • Material types: You can now specify material properties for your rigid body types for collision detection. This allows you to control the stiffness/damping of part collisions, and to specify the friction coefficients of their interactions.
  • Rolling friction: V2 now supports friction for rolling objects.
  • Joint constraint relaxation: You now have the ability to control the stiffness/damping of any of the constraint equations for the joints.
  • Joint friction: V2 allows you to specify friction for the hinge and prismatic joints.
  • More Joint types: V2 includes the new Distance, RPRO, and a true static joint type.
  • More body types: V2 includes the Ellipsoid, and Torus body types.
  • Property Control stimuli and adapters: Property controllers gives you the ability to set the property of any item in the simulation through a stimulus or directly through the neural network. This gives you unprecedented power to control your simulation.
  • Scripted simulation window: This allows you to specify a set of paths that the camera will follow during the simulation, allowing you to create professional looking videos of your simulations.