Current Uses in Medical Training
Research has shown that simulators with haptics provide as good as or
better trained students than traditional methods. Below a
re a few companys that offer surgical simulators that provide haptic feedback.
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Immersion
is self described as the market leader in "the science of touch" and
have many haptic devices in many different industries. Currently
they make three medical simulators: Cath
Sim, a vascular access simulator, AccuTouch Endovascular
Simulation, and AccuTouch Endoscopy Simulation.
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Mentice is focused on
virtual reality (VR) based applications in the
field of medicine. They have a focus on minimally invasive
surgeries. The MIST-VR (Minimally Invasive Surgical
Trainer–Virtual Reality) was introduced in the 1990's by Mentice
and is the most tested VR based surgical simulator. A newer platform
that is offered by Mentice, in collaboration with Immersion, has a
haptic feedback option. |
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Surgical Science is a Swedish company that recently partnered with
Immersion to combined its software, LapSim Basic Skills with Immersions
laparoscopic simulator. Some of the simulators, including the LapSim Gyn module, have a haptics option. |
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LapSim by Surgical Science |
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Simbionix originally started in Israel but has since moved
its headquarters to Cleveland, Ohio. The Lab Mentor is a
laparoscopic surgery simulator that was built in collaboration with
Xitact and is complete with haptic feedback. |
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Reachin Technologies is focused on human-computer interfaces
and offers products in many field including education and engineering.
They also offer a laparoscopic surgical simulator called the
Reachin Laparoscopic Trainer (RLT). It has the option for haptic
feedback using Immersion technology and has a full haptics guide called
Forceback. Forceback simulates how an expert would perform a
procedure and allows the student to rest their hands on the instruments to feel what the expert is doing. |
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Select-IT VEST Systems was started in 2000 and is located in
Germany. It offers the Virtual Endoscopic Surgery Training (VEST)
system which has the option of a few different modules. The VSOne
Cho and VSOne Gyn are laparoscopic and gynecological modules that offer
haptic feedback. |