Implementation of a Virtual Reality Based Digital-Twin Robotic Minimally Invasive Surgery Simulator

The rapid development of computers and robots has seen robotic minimally invasive surgery (RMIS) gradually enter the public's vision. RMIS can effectively eliminate the hand vibrations of surgeons and further reduce wounds and bleeding. However, suitable RMIS and virtual reality-based digital-twin surgery trainers are still in the early stages of development. Extensive training is required for surgeons to adapt to different operating modes compared to traditional MIS. A virtual-reality-based digital-twin robotic minimally invasive surgery (VRDT-RMIS) simulator was developed in this study, and its effectiveness was introduced. Twenty-five volunteers were divided into two groups for the experiment, the Expert Group and the Novice Group. The use of the VRDT-RMIS simulator for face, content, and structural validation training, including the peg transfer module and the soft tissue cutting module, was evaluated. Through subjective and objective evaluations, the potential roles of vision and haptics in robot surgery training were explored. The simulator can effectively distinguish surgical skill proficiency between experts and novices.