IEEE Transactions on Haptics Publication and corresponding Youtube video are available on-line.
A PrePrint of “Integrating Haptics with Augmented Reality in a Femoral Palpation and Needle Insertion Training Simulation” is available on-line here. This file is an old version (error at publishers) of the original that will be published soon
Meanwhile a video demonstration of PalpSim in use can be found here:
Between Jan 2008 and Feb 2011 I worked at Istituto Italian di Tecnologia (IIT) in a collaborative PhD position between IIT and Bangor University, Wales under the supervision of both Professor Nigel W John (Bangor) and Professor Darwin G Caldwell (IIT). The focus of my research was the use of augmented reality to produce immersive visio-haptic medical training environments. During my PhD I developed an immersive environment called PalpSim which underwent content and face validation at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. My freely available PhD thesis “Investigating Augmented Reality Visio-Haptic Techniques for Medical Training” can be found on the Eurographics website here.
Mirror link pdf document.
I was awarded a poster prize at MMVR 2011 for a poster titled “Modification of Commercial Force Feedback Hardware for Needle Insertion Simulation”. The three page proceedings publication is available upon request. [bibtex-entry]
The poster abstract is:
A SensAble Omni force feedback device has been modified to increase the face validity of a needle insertion simulation. The new end effector uses a real needle hub and shortened needle shaft in place of the Omni’s pre-fitted pen shaped end effector. This modification facilitates correct procedural training through the simulation of co-located visual and haptic cues in an augmented reality approach to simulation. The development of the new end effector is described and a pictorial guide to its manufacture and the fitting process is provided. Three Omni devices have been modified for a full simulation validation.
PalpSim a virtual training tool for training femoral palpation and needle insertion, the opening steps of many interventional radiology procedures.
A face and content validation study was conducted in which 7 experts with five or more years experience as a consultant in the field of interventional radiology were asked to test the simulation system and provide objective feedback in a 29 point questionnaire. These questions were devised to gauge the practitioners’ expertise in the field and to obtain objective feedback about the simulations face and content validity in reproducing the key points identified during a comprehensive task analysis of the interventional radiology procedure [1].
Interventional Radiologist Derek Gould Testing PalpSim.
A full length view on the simulator during validation testing. Control computer on right with trainers monitor to watch progress of trainee.
[1] W. Johnson, S. Woolnough, H. Hunt, C. Gould, D. England, A. Crawshaw, M. & Lewandowski, “Simulator Training in Interventional Radiology: The Role of Task Analysis.,” APA Annual Conference, Boston, US, 2008.
My poster titled “Modification of Commercial Force Feedback Hardware for Needle Insertion Simulation” has been accepted for MMVR18 held in Newport Beach, California in February 8 – 12, 2011.
In this poster a SensAble Omni force feedback device has been modified to increase the face validity of a needle insertion simulation. The new end effector uses a real needle hub and shortened needle shaft in place of the Omni’s pre-fitted pen shaped end effector. This modification facilitates correct procedural training through the simulation of co-located visual and haptic cues in an augmented reality approach to simulation.
In this poster the development of the new end effector is described and a pictorial guide to its manufacture and the fitting process is provided.
After enjoying a very interesting trip to Seattle to attend the 2010 North American Summer School on Surgical Robotics and Simulation I have briefly summarised the week in this 14 page pdf document.
I will be presenting this poster (pdf) at the 2010 North American Summer School on Surgical Robotics and Simulation held in Seattle, Washington. The images are of my recent work to virtually simulate the palpation for a femoral pulse and to perform a virtual needle insertion for training purposes. The simulation is novel as the user sees their real hand in the virtual environment and can feel the virtual patient through force and tactile feedback. The devices simulating the force of skin deformation, the tactile response from the patients pulse, and the force of inserting a needle into a simulated patient are situated below the LCD screen. The devices are hidden from view using a chroma-key technique so that the user sees only their hand, the real needle hub and the virtual patient. A full journal paper is to be submitted soon and my PhD thesis will be completed by December 2010.
Timothy R Coles, Derek A Gould, Nigel W John and Darwin G Caldwell, “Virtual Femoral Palpation Simulation for Interventional Radiology Training” EG UK Theory and Practice of Computer Graphics (2010). To Appear.
T.R. Coles, N.W. John, “The Case for Augmented Reality when Training in a Virtual Medical Environment” Workshop of Medical Virtual Environments at IEEEVR2010. http://www.hpv.cs.bangor.ac.uk/vr10-med/Papers/Coles-TheCaseForAugmentedReality.pdf
F. Bello, T.R. Coles, D.A. Gould, C.J. Hughes, N.W. John, F.P. Vidal, S. Watt, “The Need to Touch Medical Virtual Environments?” Workshop of Medical Virtual Environments at IEEEVR2010. http://www.hpv.cs.bangor.ac.uk/vr10-med/Papers/Bello-TheNeedToTouchMedicalVE.pdf
