MediSim: A prototype VR system for training medical first responders

Abstract

This paper presents a prototype virtual reality (VR) system for training medical first responders. The initial application is to battlefield medicine and focuses on the training of medical corpsmen and other front-line personnel who might be called upon to provide emergency triage on the battlefield. The system is built upon Sandia's multiuser, distributed VR platform and provides an interactive, immersive simulation capability. The user is represented by an Avatar and is able to manipulate his virtual instruments and carry out medical procedures. A dynamic casualty simulation provides realistic cues to the patient's condition (e.g. changing blood pressure and pulse) and responds to the actions of the trainee (e.g. a change in the color of a patient's skin may result from a check of the capillary refill rate.) The current casualty simulation is of an injury resulting in a tension pneumothorax. This casualty model was developed by the University of Pennsylvania and integrated into the Sandia MediSim system.