Simulation-Based Open Surgery Training System (SOSTS)

ToLTech will design a realistic and adaptive, virtual reality based simulator for surgical incisions. The simulator will provide a platform for surgical procedures to be practiced and evaluated in any part of the entire human body. The simulator will include embedded metrics for the evaluation of user techniques, and efficiency. It may also be used to evaluate the feasibility of new surgical approaches or yet to be built surgical devices. ToLTech will utilize data from the Visible Human, proprietary classification masks and 3D stereoscopic and haptic feedback devices to display the surgical field. This virtual reality implementation provides unconstrained adaptation and alteration of the surgical presentation and the most quantitative assessment information available. This training tool can be used and reused in a learner-centered environment and utilized at the users pace and time. A full curriculum for a wide array of surgical experience will be provided in the Phase II portion of this grant. Milestone demonstrations of surgical reality will be available during the Phase I portion of the grant. This simulator will utilize many of the tissue deformation and performance assessment tools developed for other ToLTech implementations of Arthroscopy, Arthrocentesis and Fractured Femur Simulators.