Haptic-enabled Virtual Reality Research Articles

Haptic-enabled virtual reality–aided design for assembly

Haptic-enabled virtual reality–aided design for assembly

Immersive haptic simulation for training nurses in emergency medical procedures

The use of haptic simulation for emergency procedures in nursing training presents a viable, versatile and affordable alternative to traditional mannequin environments. In this paper, an evaluation is performed in a virtual environment with a head-mounted display and haptic devices, and also with a mannequin. We focus on a chest decompression, a life-saving invasive procedure used for trauma-associated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (and other causes) that every emergency physician and/or nurse needs to master. Participants’ heart rate and blood pressure were monitored to measure their stress level. In addition, the NASA Task Load Index questionnaire was used. The results show the approved usability of the VR environment and that it provides a higher level of immersion compared to the mannequin, with no statistically significant difference in terms of cognitive load, although the use of VR is perceived as a more difficult task. We can conclude that the use of haptic-enabled virtual reality simulators has the potential to provide an experience as stressful as the real one while training in a safe and controlled environment.

The utility of 3D, haptic‐enabled, virtual reality technologies for student knowledge gains in the complex biological system of the human heart

AbstractBackgroundKnowledge of the structure and function of the human heart is fundamental to accurately understanding human physiology. As a complex biological system, naïve conceptions abound regarding cardiac anatomy and physiology for K‐12 learners and medical students alike.ObjectiveTextbooks and lectures, as well models and simulations, have had limited success in aiding learners in constructing accurate and cohesive knowledge of the human heart. Three dimensional (3D) modelling, haptic‐enabled (HE) feedback, and interactive virtual reality (VR) experiences aid tertiary learners, yet it is unknown if secondary learners benefit from learning with these technologies.MethodsAn exploratory study examined secondary student knowledge of cardiac anatomy and physiology after participation in an interactive lesson on cardiac structure and function using a 3D, HE, VR technology system. Students from sixth grade (11–12 years old; n = 75) and ninth grade (14–15 years old; n = 76) completed a pre‐ and post‐assessment on cardiac knowledge, anatomy, and physiology punctuated by technology‐delivered instruction on the human heart.Results and ConclusionsSignificant gains were found in knowledge from both groups in cardiac anatomy and blood circulation within the chambers of the heart; however, only ninth grade students demonstrated significant knowledge gains in pulmonary circulation.TakeawaysResults suggest that 3D HE VR technologies provide learners robust representations of and student‐driven interactions with complex biological systems that are innovative instructionally for strong conceptual and systematic learning. This study offers insight on technology‐assisted science visualizations for the promotion of knowledge acquisition and systems thinking of the human heart among secondary science students.

Haptic-enabled virtual training in orthognathic surgery

Orthognathic surgery (OGS) is a very complex surgical procedure aiming to correct a wide range of skeletal and dental irregularities, including jaws and teeth misalignments. It requires a precise pre-surgical planning and high surgical skills that are traditionally acquired through years of hands-on training in the operating room or in laboratory-based surgical practices using cadavers or models. Although modern engineering technologies have led to the development or computer-aided surgical procedures and systems, surgical training in OGS still relies on the traditional physical hands-on approach. This paper presents the results of an investigation carried out with the aim to evaluate the use of haptics and virtual reality technologies as an OGS training tool. Three case studies corresponding to cephalometry training, osteotomy training and surgery planning training were conducted. Participants comprised novices and experts in the area of OGS. Surgical skills, performance and confidence of trainees, in addition to reducing execution times and errors associated with the traditional OGS process, indicate that the haptic-enabled virtual reality approach is an effective training tool.

The Effect of Haptic Feedback on Efficiency and Safety During Preretinal Membrane Peeling Simulation.

PurposeWe determine whether haptic feedback improves surgical performance and outcome during simulated a preretinal membrane peeling procedure.MethodsA haptic-enabled virtual reality preretinal membrane peeling simulator was developed using a surgical cockpit with two multifinger haptic devices. Six subjects (three trained retina surgeons and three nonsurgeons) performed the preretinal membrane peeling surgical procedure using two modes of operation: visual and haptic feedback, and visual feedback only.ResultsTask completion time, tool tip path trajectory, tool–retina collision force, and retinal damage were all reduced with haptic feedback used and compared to modes where haptic feedback was disabled.ConclusionsHaptic feedback improves efficiency and safety during preretinal membrane peeling simulation.Translational RelevanceThese findings highlight the potential benefit of haptic feedback for improving performance and safety of vitreoretinal surgery.

An integrated haptic-enabled virtual reality system for orthognathic surgery planning

Conventional Orthognathic surgery (OGS) planning involves cephalometric analyses and dental casts to be mounted on an articulator. Dental segments are subsequently identified, cut and repositioned to allow the fabrication of intraoral wafers that guide the positioning of the osteotomy bone segments. This conventional planning introduces many inaccuracies that affect the post-surgery outcomes. Although computer technologies have advanced computational tools for OGS planning, they have failed in providing a practical solution. Many focuses only on some specific stages of the planning process, and their ability to transfer preoperative planning data to the operating room is limited. This paper proposes a new integrated haptic-enabled virtual reality (VR) system for OGS planning. The system incorporates CAD tools and haptics to facilitate a complete planning process and is able to automatically generate preoperative plans. A clinical pre-diagnosis is also provided automatically by the system based on the patient’s digital data. A functional evaluation based on a real patient case study demonstrates that the proposed virtual OGS planning method is feasible and more effective than the traditional approach at increasing the intuitiveness and reducing errors and planning times.

The evaluation of a novel haptic-enabled virtual reality approach for computer-aided cephalometry

Background and objectiveIn oral and maxillofacial surgery, conventional radiographic cephalometry is one of the standard auxiliary tools for diagnosis and surgical planning. While contemporary computer-assisted cephalometric systems and methodologies support cephalometric analysis, they tend neither to be practical nor intuitive for practitioners. This is particularly the case for 3D methods since the associated landmarking process is difficult and time consuming. In addition to this, there are no 3D cephalometry norms or standards defined; therefore new landmark selection methods are required which will help facilitate their establishment.This paper presents and evaluates a novel haptic-enabled landmarking approach to overcome some of the difficulties and disadvantages of the current landmarking processes used in 2D and 3D cephalometry. MethodIn order to evaluate this new system's feasibility and performance, 21 dental surgeons (comprising 7 Novices, 7 Semi-experts and 7 Experts) performed a range of case studies using a haptic-enabled 2D, 2½D and 3D digital cephalometric analyses. ResultsThe results compared the 2D, 2½D and 3D cephalometric values, errors and standard deviations for each case study and associated group of participants and revealed that 3D cephalometry significantly reduced landmarking errors and variability compared to 2D methods. ConclusionsThrough enhancing the process by providing a sense of touch, the haptic-enabled 3D digital cephalometric approach was found to be feasible and more intuitive than its counterparts as well effective at reducing errors, the variability of the measurements taken and associated task completion times.

Effectiveness, Usability, and Acceptability of Haptic-Enabled Virtual Reality and Mannequin Modality Simulators for Surgical Cricothyroidotomy

This research assesses the effectiveness, usability, and acceptability of mannequin and haptic-enabled virtual reality (VR) modality simulators by Army medics in a surgical cricothyroidotomy procedure. Research methods investigate through experimentation surgical task performance, technology acceptance, user recommendation, comparative analysis, and select cognitive task load results. Results indicate that the HapMed mannequin and CricSim VR simulators proved effective by meeting training task performance evaluation requirements. Both systems meet 95% user technology acceptance and 85% user recommendation levels. In conclusion, at those levels, either system may complement, reduce, or replace the use of some alternative training methods such as animals or cadavers. To raise recommendation rates, future research needs to reduce barriers to blending visualization with mannequin modalities and make further refinements within the modalities. One research pathway identified blends a mannequin with stereoscopic visualization and motion parallax, providing correlated, partially transparent visual layers of anatomy and of various medical procedures in virtual overlay with the mannequin. Future research also needs to clarify acceptable degrees of freedom levels by task for haptics VR in light of real-world degrees of freedom requirements. Finally, artificial skin may need research to achieve better replication of human skin on mannequins.

The Influence of Texture on Perceiving Haptic Stiffness

The sense of touch is essential to perform discriminating tasks in virtual reality applications or virtual training systems. To discriminate between different virtual objects, a human operator needs to clearly perceive the stiffness of each object. Stiffness is not only a material property, but also a characteristic of the particular object and express how it is being touched. Stiffness affects the perception of surface topography and depends on the area of applied force. While haptic-enabled virtual reality training systems have been received considerable attention in recent years, our main criticism on these systems is that their virtual environments provide homogeneous haptic stiffness and less perceptually accurate virtual space. This paper investigated how texture affects the perception of haptic stiffness of the virtual object. By performing a psychophysical experiment, we determined that human operator' average accuracy in discriminating perceived haptic stiffness of the virtual object is depending on its texture information and spatial variations. Our findings underscore the importance of implementing spatially varying haptic parameters.

The effect of sub-threshold forces on human performance in multi-modal computer-aided design

In traditional CAD (computer-aided design) systems, the manipulation of points and lines is often difficult because designers manipulate virtual objects through their vision system. Nowadays, designers can explore and manipulate virtual objects in haptic-enabled CAD systems using haptic devices. Haptic devices can present force feedbacks to pull or push the users’ hands into desirable targets. Of course the intent is for the user to experience the same sensations in the virtual realm as they would in the real world. Thus, sub-threshold forces, which cannot be perceived by users, should be incorporated in the control of users’ movements. As a result, our attention is directed to study the effect of sub-threshold forces on the accuracy of movement in a haptic-enabled virtual reality (VR) system. In this study, our goal is to manipulate users’ hands using controlled forces such that users cannot notice the forces. With this in mind, we have constructed a haptic-enabled virtual environment (VE) to carry out a multi-modal Fitts’ type task. In the task, subjects could see the position of the haptic probe in the VE where forces were applied on their hands. Basically, the accuracy of subjects was measured using a performance index when the intensity and direction of forces changed. A psychophysical method was utilized to ensure that the forces were below the force threshold of the human force perception. Results indicate that the accuracy is affected by the intensity and direction of sub-threshold forces even when users are allowed to control their actions through visual feedbacks.

Stable haptic interaction with virtual environments

This paper addresses fundamental stability and performance issues associated with haptic interaction. It generalizes and extends the concept of a virtual coupling network, an artificial link between the haptic display and a virtual world, to include both the impedance and admittance models of haptic interaction. A benchmark example exposes an important duality between these two cases. Linear circuit theory is used to develop necessary and sufficient conditions for the stability of a haptic simulation, assuming the human operator and virtual environment are passive. These equations lead to an explicit design procedure for virtual coupling networks which give maximum performance while guaranteeing stability. By decoupling the haptic display control problem from the design of virtual environments, the use of a virtual coupling network frees the developer of haptic-enabled virtual reality models from issues of mechanical stability.