SBIR-STTR Award

ToLTech will design a realistic and adaptive, virtual reality based simulator for training diagnostic and surgical skills related to Compartment Syndrome. The simulator will use haptic and graphic display to give the student the experience of feeling and seeing the interaction of virtual tools, including scalpels, forceps, retractors, and fingers with the virtual patient. The simulated patients will be derived from the Visible Human and will present a variety of symptoms related to CS. Multiple modalities including x-ray, fluoroscopy, ultrasound and transparency will be used to interrogate the virtual patients. The simulator will be combined with a Mentor program that will guide and test the development of the student. This training tool can be used and reused in a learner-centered environment and utilized at the user's pace and time. A full curriculum for a wide variety of CS related scenarios will be provided in the Phase II portion of this grant. Milestone demonstrations of the fidelity of the virtual anatomy and virtual tools will be available during the Phase I portion of the grant as well. In addition, one full lesson related to diagnosis of CS will be demonstrated by the Mentor program during the phase I

Touch of Life Technologies (ToLTech) proposes to develop a computer-based system to train diagnosis and treatment of Compartment Syndrome (CS) manifested in any muscle compartment of the human body. To do this, ToLTech will utilize its extensive experience building and interacting with virtual anatomy, to produce completely virtual patients exhibiting the look and feel of trauma related to CS. The virtual patients will be accompanied by a Mentor program that guides and tests the students through curriculum designed for their particular needs. In addition to the haptically enabled simulator, ToLTech proposes to develop a non-haptically enabled simulator and Mentor that can deliver important diagnostic training to a broad and remote audience.

Keywords:
Simulation, Haptics, Virtual Anatomy, Compartment Syndrome,Training