Standard Behavioral Tools

Physics Item Descriptions

Figure 1. The nodes available for the vortex animat plug-in module.

This plug-in module contains nodes that let you to interface the neural network to the virtual body and world. They work similar to the offpage connectors. You must first have an existing part in the body of the biomechanical organism. Once you do then you can add one of these nodes to your diagram and then select the Body or Joint ID property. This will provide a list of all the parts in the body that can be used. That node then "stands-in" for the part in the body. You can draw input and output connections from that node to neurons. When you do an adapter will be added between the two to convert signals to allow the two parts to communicate.

For example, if you wanted to know the rotation angle of a joint then the joint needs to already exist in the body definition. Then add a joint node to the diagram and draw a connection from it to a neuron. In the properties for the joint node go to the Joint ID and select the joint you are interested in using the drop-down list. Then configure the adapter so that it translates joint rotation in radians or meters into a current to inject into your neuron. Once this is done your current will flow in your neuron proportional to the rotation angle and this can be used throughout your neural network to know the state of the joint.

The following pages provide more details about the parts in this plug-in.

Figure 1. The default nodes available for the animat tools plug-in module.

This plug-in module contains nodes that allow you to perform basic operations in the neural network editor. This includes things like adding graphics and text to your diagrams, connecting nodes in one diagram to nodes in other diagrams, connecting nodes in one module to nodes in other modules, and adding subsystems. Below is a list of the nodes available in this module. You can also click on a node in figure 1 to see the description for that item. However, the adapter node is a part of this module but it is not something that users can add manually. So it does not show up in the toolbox.

Basic Items Descriptions

1.	Adpater
	This is a standard interface that connects a node in one neural module to a node in another module.
2.	Graphical Item
	This item allows you to add graphics to your diagrams.
3.	Off-page Connector
	You can use this node to connect nodes in one diagram with nodes on other diagrams. This allows you to connect nodes between subsystems.
4.	Neural Subsystem
	The node creates a hierarchal subsystem node. You can use this to create nested diagrams.
5.	Text Edit Box
	Use this node to add text to your diagram.