Abdominal Palpation Simulator with Tensing Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for training medical students in abdominal palpation exams face challenges due to the inability of human volunteers to accurately simulate abdominal ailments, particularly abdominal guarding, and the limitations of human dummies in replicating anatomical conditions.
Innovation Solution
A patient simulator system that includes a simulated abdominal model with a skin layer, sensor layer, muscle layer, and tensing layer, capable of simulating normal and abnormal states, providing tactile responses, and allowing for the simulation of various ailments through a control system and user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human volunteers are used to simulate abdominal ailments, then the training can provide real anatomical feedback, but the volunteers cannot accurately simulate abdominal guarding due to lack of voluntary muscle control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an artificial copy of the abdominal system using a multi-layered phantom model that replicates the anatomical structure and physiological responses. The phantom includes skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle layers, and organ replicas, providing a realistic training model without requiring human volunteers to physically simulate their own ailments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the biological mechanical system of human muscle control with an artificial mechanical system. Motors and actuators are embedded within the phantom layers to mechanically simulate muscle tension, organ movement, and abdominal guarding responses, substituting voluntary human muscle control with programmable mechanical actuation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If human volunteers are used for training, then diverse ailments can be simulated, but finding, training, and compensating volunteers becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal phantom model that can simulate multiple different abdominal ailments through programmable control. The same physical phantom can be configured to represent appendicitis, gallbladder disease, bowel obstruction, or other conditions by adjusting motor commands and sensor feedback, eliminating the need for multiple specialized human volunteers.
Solution Approach 2:
The phantom system is self-contained and self-simulating, requiring no external human subjects. The embedded sensors, motors, and control systems allow the phantom to autonomously generate and maintain the physiological signatures of various ailments, making the training system independent of human volunteer availability and management.
3Shape
If partial human dummies are used, then anatomical structure can be illustrated, but they cannot simulate dynamic ailments or physiological responses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms a static anatomical model into a dynamic simulation system. Motors embedded in the phantom layers can actively change the position, tension, and physiological state of simulated tissues and organs in real-time, allowing the model to dynamically represent ailments such as muscle spasm, organ displacement, and peristalsis that static dummies cannot depict.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces passive anatomical structures with active mechanical systems. Embedded actuators and sensors create a mechanically responsive model that can simulate the dynamic physiological responses of living tissue, such as muscle contraction, organ movement, and tissue elasticity, rather than merely illustrating fixed anatomical shapes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables realistic simulation of abdominal ailments, providing accurate training and evaluation for medical students by replicating the feel of normal and abnormal tissue, including muscle guarding, and allowing for consistent and objective assessment of palpation skills.
Implementation Method 1
A sensor layer may be disposed beneath the skin layer. The sensor layer may detect at least one abdominal palpation that is performed on the skin layer
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided herein are systems, methods, and apparatuses for simulating ailments that can be diagnosed by an abdominal palpation exam. Furthermore, provided herein are systems, methods, and apparatuses for analyzing an abdominal palpation exam. An abdominal simulator may include a surface layer, a sensor layer beneath the surface layer, a muscle layer beneath the sensor layer, a tensing layer beneath the muscle layer, an ailment module layer beneath the tensing layer, and a control portion. The abdominal simulator may simulate an ailment that can be diagnosed by an abdominal palpation exam. The abdominal simulator may also detect at least one abdominal palpation that is performed by a user on the abdominal simulator to diagnose the ailment that was simulated by the abdominal simulator. Moreover, the abdominal simulator may determine data for the at least one abdominal palpation that was detected.