frictionalForce = -particles_[i].mass * params.getDynamicFriction();
change_.scale( frictionalForce );
// eliminate the frictional force in the spinal direction
Vector2d spineDir = segment.getSpinalDirection();
double dot = spineDir.dot( change_ );
if ( dot < 0 ) {
// then the velocity vector is going at least partially backwards
// remove the backwards component.
vel_.set( spineDir );
vel_.scale( dot );