Smartwatch-based wrist tremor assessment in neurosurgical simulator training

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Medical Training
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Objective assessment of surgical skill acquisition during training remains a challenge.
• Novel wearable sensors offer new possibilities for measuring physiological parameters like wrist tremor during procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of simulator-based neurosurgical resident training on wrist tremor.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of different training modalities (no training, video-based, video-based with augmented reality) using wrist tremor analysis.

Main Methods:

• Nine neurosurgical residents participated in simulator-based training for unruptured intracranial aneurysm clipping.
• Wrist acceleration was measured using a smartwatch during training sessions.
• Wrist tremor was quantified in time and frequency domains from acceleration data.

Main Results:

• Video-based training with augmented reality led to a statistically significant reduction in wrist tremor.
• Total power decreased by 56% (p=0.0186) and peak power by 69% (p=0.0021) with augmented reality training.
• Smartwatch-based tremor assessment correlated with improved resident confidence and skill.

Conclusions:

• Simulator-based training, especially with augmented reality, effectively reduces wrist tremor in neurosurgical residents.
• Smartwatch technology provides a valuable and objective tool for assessing surgical skill development and training efficacy.