Virtual Reality Coupled with Adapted Physical Interface for a Better Evaluation of the Innovative Surgical Instrument

Abstract

In the domain of designing innovative products in the medical field, investigations are often oriented towards communication between actors and needs comprehension. In the DESTIN (DEsign of Surgical/Technological INnovation) project, User Centered Design methodology with concrete experiments is applied. Researchers propose emulations in an operating room for co-evaluation of innovative products and new adapted surgical procedures. In this paper, they intend to evaluate the usage of the product in a virtual environment using a 3D haptic feedback system. Researchers not only propose a better ergonomic situation of the physician in front of the operating screen, but also increase the performance of the simulator in order to allow the manipulation of the innovative surgical instrument developed. We used virtual reality environment and the manufactured prototype with the aim to validate the new surgical procedure and the innovative designed surgical instrument.