Flexible Muscle-Based Locomotion for Bipedal Creatures

This video shows 3-dimensional renderings of some serious computer graphics experimentation. From the video description:

We present a muscle-based control method for simulated bipeds in which both the muscle routing and control parameters are optimized. This yields a generic locomotion control method that supports a variety of bipedal creatures. All actuation forces are the result of 3D simulated muscles, and a model of neural delay is included for all feedback paths. As a result, our controllers generate torque patterns that incorporate biomechanical constraints. The synthesized controllers find different gaits based on target speed, can cope with uneven terrain and external perturbations, and can steer to target directions.

Yeah, whatever. What we see here resembles, in the best cases, a test of a Boston Dynamics robot, and in the worst cases, QWOP. The overall goofiness makes you wonder how we ever manage to walk anywhere. Oh yeah, don't miss the outtake at the end. (via Metafilter)