Haptically enhanced VR surgical training system

Abstract

This paper proposes a cost-effective VR surgical training system which computes haptic feedback forces when a VR surgical tool interacts with virtual tissues. A 3 degrees of freedom (DoF) reverse linear Delta mechanism is used to render computed force feedback data which are then received by the fingertip of the operator. Additionally, the moving plate allows rendering of surface properties and lateral forces occurring due to a tumor with different stiffness parameters below the skin surface. Controllers are designed and implemented to regulate the haptic feedback device's end-effector position and applied force. The virtual surgical instruments are controlled by a 7DoF serial link manipulator which captures the operator's movement by the utilization of various sensors. The controllers to regulate forces as well as the positions are evaluated with the proposed haptic feedback device. The mean RMSE of the force and mean error of the angular displacement are 0.0707 N and 1.95°, respectively. The presented system can provide multisensory feedback including visual, auditory and haptic feedback interactively depending on the operator's input in the presented VR surgical training system.