Text and photo: Thomas Møller Christensen, AAU Communication og Public Affairs. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs.

Imagine that you need to design a new car. To ensure the best comfort and minimize driver fatigue you simulate the car in use to test different designs and situations.

Or imagine that you need to implant an artificial knee in a patient. To reduce the risk of complications, you prepare by simulating the operation.

In both scenarios, you can use AnyBody Modeling System, a software that can simulate and analyze movements, forces and interactions in the body's joints, muscles and bones.

Developed by the company AnyBody Technology, the software originally started as an idea on a napkin with a couple of researchers at Aalborg University (AAU) about 25 years ago.

- We discussed how to solve some problems with the design of bicycles, and we wanted to include the rider in our model. So we wanted to see if we could combine our expertise to make something that could represent a human being and their whole dynamics. That was not possible at the time, says John Rasmussen, one of the co-founders of AnyBody Technology. Today, he is CTO and a board member at the company and Professor in the Department of Materials and Production.

Since its foundation, AnyBody Technology has played a crucial role in advancing research within biomechanics and related domains. In 2023, it reached a milestone of over 1,000 citations in scientific publications.

Intuitive toolbox

For the first few years, John Rasmussen and his colleagues mostly played with the idea alongside their research. But in 2001, they founded AnyBody Technology, and since then their software has opened doors for creativity and innovation in research and at companies.

Including Zimmer Biomet, a global pharmaceutical company that develops devices like knee and hip replacements.

- When we develop new implants, we’re not just looking at how much load it needs to bear. The implant should improve patients' movements and enable them to play tennis, run or otherwise be active. So the dynamics of the body are incredibly important, and we can simulate that with the software, says Enrico De Pieri, a research engineer at Zimmer Biomet.

Enrico De Pieri has extensive experience using the software as a student, researcher and in his current role as a research engineer. He emphasizes the user-friendliness and the ability to simulate complex scenarios without having in-depth technical knowledge as the software's major strength.

- It's like having a toolbox filled with intuitive solutions. I can test ideas, explore scenarios and create something new without being slowed down by technical challenges. It has changed the way we think in our industry. Our limitations are not dictated by technological requirements, but rather by our own creativity, says Enrico De Pieri.

Everyone knows AnyBody Technology

AnyBody Technology has not only been greatly important to Enrico De Pieri's work. The company has also had a significant impact on the entire biomechanical research area where it has been instrumental in creating new results. At AAU, 15-20 staff members do research on biomechanics, a number that would be close to zero without the innovative company, John Rasmussen estimates.

– Everyone working in biomechanics knows what AnyBody Technology is. And biomechanics would not exist as a research area at AAU without our company. So it’s satisfying on a daily basis to see what the company has done and is still doing for research.

John Rasmussen believes that commercialization should increasingly be a success criterion for much research. According to him, it is not just a goal; it is a necessity in order to realize the potential of many research projects.

- We’ve created more than a paper that many people quote. With AnyBody Technology, we’ve created a tool that is constantly being developed so that it can be used by people all over the world, and in this way our research reaches the world and makes a real difference. And not only by companies, but also by other researchers who can use it to obtain new research results. It's something we're incredibly proud of.

Bringing research to life

John Rasmussen encourages other researchers to think about how their research can be translated and have the greatest possible impact.

- Researchers dream of making a difference in the world by developing new knowledge that can solve problems and improve people's lives. In order to ensure that research has the greatest possible impact, it is crucial that results are not confined simply to academic circles. Research results must be brought to life and be translated into actual products that can be used and that make a difference.

John Rasmussen emphasizes that when research is incorporated into commercial products, it can amplify the influence and reach of the original research, which ultimately contributes to a more significant impact on society.

- And in all modesty, I think AnyBody Technology is an excellent example of how commercialization and good research don’t have to be opposites, but on the contrary can be mutually necessary, says John Rasmussen.