1. A method for building a joint set function for a target joint, the method comprising the steps of: selecting a first joint component comprising a first function including a parameter; setting the parameter to define behavior of the first joint component; selecting a second joint component comprising a second function; and coupling the first joint component and the second joint component into a network to produce the joint set function, wherein the front joint set function specifies a transformation matrix and wherein, if a segment of the target joint has one or more parent segments, the transformation matrix is unequal to a product of transformation matrices of joints of the one or more parent segments.