Integration of Virtual Reality in the Control System of an Innovative Medical Robot for Single-Incision Laparoscopic...

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Robotic Surgery
• Virtual Reality Technology

Background:

• Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly used as an educational tool in medicine.
• Robotic systems are integral to modern surgical procedures.
• Training for robotic surgery traditionally involves risks and high costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a VR simulator for robotically assisted single-uniport surgery training.
• To assess the feasibility of using voice commands and sensor-based interfaces for surgical robotics control.
• To validate the performance of a novel VR surgical simulator.

Main Methods:

• Development of a VR simulator for single-uniport robotic surgery using Visual Studio.
• Implementation of voice command control for camera positioning.
• Integration of a sensor-equipped wristband for active instrument manipulation via a TCP/IP protocol.
• Experimental evaluation with 15 participants performing a medically relevant task.

Main Results:

• The VR simulator successfully facilitated robotically assisted surgery training.
• Experimental data validated the effectiveness of the developed virtual system.
• The system demonstrated potential for skill acquisition in a risk-free environment.

Conclusions:

• The developed VR simulator is a viable tool for training surgeons in robotically assisted single-uniport procedures.
• The integration of voice commands and sensor-based interfaces shows promise for enhanced surgical training.
• Further development of this VR system is warranted based on initial positive results.