ASCEND vs OpenSim
ASCEND
ascend4.orgOpenSim
opensim.stanford.eduSide by side
| Figure | ASCEND | OpenSim |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Physics Simulation Software | 8.2 (#23) | 8.7 (#6) |
| Authoring tools | Yes | Yes |
| Data export | Yes | Yes |
| Delivery mode | desktop | desktop |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| License | ASCEND is released under the General Public License. | The GUI and API are open source under Apache 2.0, while models, examples, and plugins may have their own licenses. |
| Modeling | It lets users build complex models from simpler submodels using a special-purpose modeling language. | Models can include rigid bodies, joints, constraints, contact, muscles, and other actuators. |
| Purpose | ASCEND solves systems of equations and is aimed at engineers and scientists. | OpenSim models humans, animals, robots, and the environment, and simulates their interaction and movement. |
| Support | The site invites users to report bugs, contact the team, and contribute models and other work. | OpenSim provides documentation, tutorials, and a discussion forum where users can seek help from experts. |
Plans
In their own words
OpenSim
OpenSim models and simulates how humans, animals, robots, and their environment move and interact. Its graphical interface displays models and supports creating and analyzing simulations. Models can contain rigid bodies, joints, constraints, contact, muscles, and other actuators. Movement analysis tools include inverse kinematics, inverse dynamics, static optimization, and forward dynamics; Computed Muscle Control can generate muscle-driven forward simulations. The API is usable through Matlab, Python, Java, and C++, and GUI scripting uses an embedded Jython shell. Plugins can add analyses and model components, but must be built for the same OpenSim version and platform. The graphical interface is distributed for 64-bit Windows and Mac, while there is no public Linux GUI distribution; the API source can be built for Linux. OpenSim is free and open source under Apache 2.0, though models, examples, and plugins may have separate licenses. It is intended for research and teaching and welcomes academic and commercial applications. Documentation, tutorials, and a discussion forum are available. Downloading requires a SimTK account.