SMMARTS: An Open Architecture Development Platform for Modular, Mixed, and Augmented Reality Procedural and...

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation Technology
• Open Architecture Systems
• Augmented Reality in Healthcare

Background:

• Redundant work in medical simulator development leads to high costs and limited accessibility.
• Proprietary systems hinder interoperability and scalability.
• An open architecture and modular design approach can make simulation technology more affordable and scalable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the System of Modular Mixed and Augmented Reality Tracking Simulators (SMMARTS) as an open architecture platform.
• To facilitate the rapid development of modular procedural and guided-intervention simulators.
• To address issues of cost, interoperability, and accessibility in medical simulation.

Main Methods:

• Developed a modular stand for mechanical indexing of anatomical blocks.
• Integrated a software development kit (SDK) with hardware (tracked tools, stand).
• Utilized Unity game engine with Arduino and NDI tracking, including tools for replay, UI, 3D visualization, and scoring.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed 9 diverse simulators using the SMMARTS platform.
• Simulators include central venous access, prostate biopsy, epidural, ventriculostomy, and more.
• The platform supports both internal and external development efforts.

Conclusions:

• SMMARTS provides a functional and beneficial platform for medical simulation development.
• Sharing SMMARTS allows clinicians and engineers to focus on educational content rather than backend development.
• The system promotes efficient and accessible simulation creation.