Modular Surgical Training Platform With Haptic Tool Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical training methods, such as those using real patients or animal models, face significant challenges including resource constraints, ethical concerns, and limited anatomical accuracy, making them impractical for widespread use.
Innovation Solution
A modular surgical training platform that integrates virtual reality with haptic controllers, allowing for a safe and realistic training environment by connecting physical surgical tools to a virtual environment, enabling precise movement tracking and feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical training is conducted under real conditions on patients, then the training realism and surgical skill acquisition are improved, but the risk of injury to patients and the stress on students increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the surgical environment and anatomical structures that replicates real surgical conditions without using actual patients. The virtual reality system generates photorealistic 3D models of anatomical structures, surgical instruments, and operating room environments, allowing students to practice surgical procedures in a realistic setting that eliminates patient risk while maintaining training fidelity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a haptic interface as an intermediary between the student and the virtual surgical environment. This haptic controller provides tactile feedback that simulates the sensation of manipulating real surgical instruments and tissues, bridging the gap between virtual reality and physical sensation without requiring actual patient contact.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional training methods like Pelvitrainer or animal models are used, then the training accessibility is improved, but the anatomical accuracy and training quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the anatomical representation from physical models (foam, animal tissue) to digital 3D models with adjustable parameters. The virtual anatomical structures can be configured with precise anatomical measurements and characteristics that match human anatomy, allowing customization of training scenarios while maintaining high anatomical accuracy that physical models cannot achieve.
3Device complexity
If a fixed surgical training setup is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different surgical exercises and user preferences deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic training setup where the virtual reality environment and haptic controller configuration can be adjusted in real-time based on the specific surgical exercise being performed. The system allows modification of anatomical structures, surgical instruments, and procedural parameters without requiring physical reconfiguration of the training apparatus, enabling diverse training scenarios from a single adaptable platform.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical training platform including a display unit for displaying the virtual environment, a calibration module connected to the display unit, a training module with a haptic controller, a control system configured to identify the different modules, analyse the data related to the movement(s) of each tool connected to the haptic controller, generate the virtual environment, interface each virtual surgical element with a corresponding real element. All of modules are configured to be reversibly attached to each other in a known configuration, each haptic controller includes a connection system configured to reversibly mechanically connect a surgical training tool, each haptic controller being further configured to measure each movement in space of the surgical training tool once the latter is connected to the haptic controller. The control system further includes a system for recognizing the tool.