Defining Spatial Regions in Computer-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgical Training

Abstract

To provide appropriate guidance in minimally invasive surgical training (and potentially an additional safety measure in the operating room), we propose a model called a "No-Fly Zone" based on the situational awareness enhancing system. By defining the configuration space of the instrument, a collision free region is defined. If an intrusion occurs into the no-fly region space, the system provides audio, visual, and haptic feedback to reinforce an appropriate maneuver. The proposed method is intended to refine surgical skills and to improve the patient safety. Usability experiment will be performed to test the system.

Models and Techniques for Computer Aided Surgical Training

“…The first step was to model the instruments in their configuration space. As published in detail in [7], we considered the problem of a rigid instrument A moving in a Euclidean space W = R 3 , equipped with a fixed Cartesian coordinate system, denoted by F W . We also represented a moving coordinate system F attached to A so that each point in the instrument has consistent coordinates in F (Figure 3).…”

“…In our initial study [7], [27], we used the configuration space (C-space) techniques to generate the estimated optimal path of the instruments [1], [17]. The first step was to model the instruments in their configuration space.…”

“…In [5], [6], [7], [8], we defined three fundamental design layers for CAST. Layer 1, called the Perception Layer embodies physical sensing devices, tracking (motion, touch accuracy, etc.)…”

“…Our design principles and their subsequent implementation address some of the limitations of the existing systems and advance the state of the art in surgical education, assessment, and guidance in laparoscopic surgery [4], [6], [7], [8], [9], [21], [27], [28]. Our overarching vision is to develop a fully integrated training system that will serve as a ,,cognitive amplifier" for a practicing surgeon.…”

“…In the recent decade, a great number of surgical skills training tools have become commercially available that fall into the two above specified classes. We refer the reader to [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [14], [10], [18], [25] for a review of some of the existing systems.…”