Mixed Reality Simulator for Medical Training
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current simulation systems in healthcare and other fields face limitations in providing realistic tactile and haptic feedback, especially for procedures requiring interaction with internal structures without direct line of sight, and they struggle with the durability and cost-effectiveness of physical simulators, as well as the abstract representation of virtual simulations.
Innovation Solution
A mixed reality system that combines physical and virtual models, allowing users to interact with physical objects while receiving haptic feedback and visualizing internal structures through a virtual model, which can be instantiated on a display, enabling training for procedures like central venous line insertion with anatomical variability and realistic simulations of internal anatomy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical simulators are used to provide realistic tactile and haptic feedback, then the training realism and skill acquisition are improved, but the cost and environmental impact increase due to disposable components and limited durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of internal anatomical structures that can be repeatedly interacted with without physical degradation. The virtual model replicates the appearance and behavior of internal structures (veins, arteries, organs) allowing unlimited training sessions on a single physical simulator without consuming disposable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges physical and virtual simulation elements into a hybrid system. The physical simulator provides external anatomy and haptic feedback, while the virtual model provides internal anatomy visualization. This combination allows the durable physical simulator to be paired with infinitely reusable virtual internal structures, eliminating the need for disposable internal components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If physical simulators include internal structures for repeated interaction, then the training capability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical internal structures with a virtual model displayed on a screen. Instead of manufacturing physical internal organs and vessels that can be repeatedly punctured and replaced, the system uses digital rendering to display internal anatomy that responds to user actions without physical degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the dimension of visual display to represent internal structures. Rather than creating three-dimensional physical internal structures that require complex manufacturing, the system uses two-dimensional display screens to render virtual internal anatomy, significantly simplifying manufacturing while maintaining training capability.
3Loss of substance
If virtual simulations are used to represent internal structures, then the cost and durability are improved, but the tactile and haptic feedback are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines virtual display technology with physical haptic feedback mechanisms. The virtual model provides durable internal structure representation, while physical components outside the virtual model (skin surface, bone structures, injection sites) provide authentic tactile and haptic feedback during training procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the display screen as an intermediary between the user and the virtual internal structures. The screen mediates the interaction by displaying virtual internal anatomy in response to physical actions performed on the external physical simulator, allowing tactile feedback from physical components while visualizing virtual internal structures.
4Reliability
If physical simulators use disposable components for multiple sessions, then the reliability for repeated use is improved, but the cost and environmental impact worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the internal structures that can be used indefinitely without degradation. This virtual replacement eliminates the need to purchase new internal components for each training session or student, dramatically improving cost-effectiveness while maintaining reliability for repeated use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers the internal structure representation from the physical domain and stores it in the digital domain. By transferring the internal anatomy from physical disposable components to a persistent virtual model, the system eliminates the need to discard and replace internal structures, recovering the value of these components as reusable digital assets.
Data Source
AI summary
An interactive mixed reality simulator is provided that includes a virtual 3D model of internal or hidden features of an object; a physical model or object being interacted with; and a tracked instrument used to interact with the physical object. The tracked instrument can be used to simulate or visualize interactions with internal features of the physical object represented by the physical model. In certain embodiments, one or more of the internal features can be present in the physical model. In another embodiment, some internal features do not have a physical presence within the physical model.