Difference between 3D Animation Toolbox vs SimMechanics?

Hi, could someone spell out the difference between the 3D Animation Toolbox and SimMechanics toolboxes?

To give you more context, I am interested in creating a human biomechanical model. I would like to be able to depict bones and muscles as accurately as possible, in a virtual lab setting. I have a simulink model already in place of all the torques, speeds, and positions of various parts of body, and would like to create an animation of this model. So, in addition to clarifying the differences between the two toolboxes above, would you have any suggestion as to which one might suit my purposes better?

Answer 1

[Guy Rouleau]

If you already implemented the equations in Simulink I would go for Simulink 3D Animation. You will need to find/create VRML objects for all the bodies and specify their position/rotation in the VRMl scene using the output of your equations.

SimMechanics is a multibody simulation. It would be useful if you did not have the equations of your system. It allows you to define dimensions of your bodies and how they are connected. You apply torque/forces and observe the resulting motion.

SimMechanics also have nice looking animation capabilities. If you really want, you can actuate SimMechanics in motion using the output of your Simulink equations and just use it for animation. As far as I know, this is a less common workflow.

Answer 2

[Zander Richard]

3D Animation Toolbox