Futuristic Approaches in Vitreoretinal Surgery
Pradeep Venkatesh in Handbook of Vitreoretinal Surgery, 2023
The word robot is derived from the Slavic robota, which translates to servant or slave and was first introduced in a play almost a century ago. With advancements in technology and computing, robotics has evolved into an area of specialization within the field of engineering. Robotics involves the conceptualization, design, and applications of machinery that can emulate and reproduce mechanical tasks that are performed by human beings. These machines have been in use for several decades in areas that are beyond human capability such as space exploration and repair and deep-sea exploration. More recently, they are being used to replace human labour in homes and workplaces. In combination with the exponential improvements in deep learning and machine learning, robot-assisted surgery is expected to achieve a quantum leap in terms of precision and clinical applicability. It is also expected to improve the quality and standardization of surgical training. Limitations of robotic surgery include the technical complexity, cost, and questions on responsibility assignment, consent, ethics, and liability. Although robotic platforms provide 3D visualization, access to tissues and better dexterity to the surgeon, surgical aspects like traction, applied force, suture tying strength, dissection, and tissue response are based largely on visual cues. To overcome some of these limitations, approaches like the haptic feedback systems and tactile feedback systems have been studied.
Simulation: transforming technology into teaching
Jan Woodhouse, Dorothy Marriss in Strategies for Healthcare Education, 2019
Task- and skills-based simulators are the most widely used simulation systems at present. They facilitate the acquisition and honing of specific psychomotor skills and the development of sequenced tasks – for example, insertion of IV catheters. Often task- and skills-based simulators are low fidelity. However, newer moderate- and high-fidelity simulators are being introduced which include the use of virtual-reality technology and sensitive tactile feedback systems or haptics. As the student progresses in their learning of the skill, the fidelity of the simulator used can be increased to supplement their experience and learning, allowing fine-tuning of the skill for use in the practice setting. However, evidence supporting the application of skills-based simulation to practice is still scarce.11
Using expressive movement and haptics to explore kinaesthetic empathy, aesthetic and physical literacy
John Ravenscroft in The Routledge Handbook of Visual Impairment, 2019
Haptic technology that supports tactile devices is increasingly employed for persons with visual impairment to assist, negotiate, understand and investigate their immediate surroundings. Tactile devices engage users through their sense of touch, by combining tactile perception with kinaesthetic sensing (i.e. the position, placement and orientation) through appropriate haptic interfaces. This technology has not been used to assist access of visually impaired persons to movement-related events and spectacles, such as dance performances or sports events. The concept behind the device was that it would provide people with visual impairments unique access to the dynamic feelings associated with expressive movement (dance). The prototype technology comprised of three separate deliverable components: (i) tracking technology (Kinect sensors); (ii) mapping software (bespoke); and (iii) a haptic interface (vibro-tactile motors), which made it inexpensive, novel and accessible. The device would provide audiences with visual impairments access to the affective phenomenon of kinaesthetic empathy (Reason and Reynolds, 2010) when attending expressive movement.
An innovative virtual reality training tool for the pre-hospital treatment of cranialmaxillofacial trauma
Published in Computer Assisted Surgery, 2023
Jin Lu, Ao Leng, Ye Zhou, Weihao Zhou, Jianfeng Luo, Xiaojun Chen, Xiangdong Qi
The main limitation of this study is that the technology developed was evaluated by only 25 surgeons, only three of them were experienced surgeons. It is the authors’ intention to recruit trainees in order to assess this innovation further. Technological limitations of this research include the lack of haptic force feedback. The availability of suitable technology and time constraints in developing a realistic haptic force feedback prevented this from being implemented. However, future research on VR training aims to include haptic feedback in the application. This will be considered the next phase of the current research program. The need for expensive headsets and high-specification computers makes desktop VR applications unaffordable for individual trainees. The development of a low-cost version of VR-CMTT system for devices will be a key to addressing this issue [46]. In this study, the validation of the VR-CMTT system was limited to face and content validity tests. As commercially available VR and augmented reality experiences are increasingly used for training, a framework to build effective VR solutions is needed. For global application of these emerging technologies, they should be made more affordable so that they can be extended to low- and middle-income countries with maximum need. Once the challenges are met, applications like the VR-CMTT system will provide an alternative way of learning and could reduce the time taken to train surgeons. Moreover, the ability to experience training remotely will change the way surgeons learn in many ways.
Assessment of children’s writing features: A pilot method study of pen-grip kinetics and writing surface pressure
Published in Assistive Technology, 2023
Michal Hochhauser, Michael Wagner, Nir Shvalb
Our findings are consistent with those in Prunty et al.’s (2020) study, in which grip strength and pen pressure appeared to be independent of each other. In our study, the forces applied by the hand digits on the writing instrument (pen) were significantly greater than the pressure applied by the pen tip on the writing surface (tablet). We postulate that these differences may be because the children relied more on their haptic sense (Chang & Yu, 2017). The haptic sense is defined as a perception system that combines sensation from the dermal-tactile system and the kinetic system, which operate together during active investigation (Lederman & Klatzky, 2009). The haptic sense provides information about an object and its size, shape, weight, and temperature; thus, it forms the basis for the intramanual manipulations required with writing tools (Chang & Yu, 2017). Of the two measurements in this study, pen grip is the more basic requiring haptic sense. That is, during writing, hand grip on the pen may involve the haptic system receiving sensory information from the somatosensory system (cutaneous inputs), along with mechanoreceptors in deeper layers, such as tendons, joints, and muscles (kinesthetic inputs). In contrast, although simultaneous, pressure on the writing surface may require more refined and developed proprioception, visual perception, and motor control.
Virtual reality in physical rehabilitation: a narrative review and critical reflection
Published in Physical Therapy Reviews, 2022
Michael J. Lukacs, Shahan Salim, Michael J. Katchabaw, Euson Yeung, David M. Walton
Researchers began exploring VR technologies combined with rehabilitation pursuits in the mid 1990s [40]. HMDs and haptic devices were used for objective measures of recovery and to decrease boredom occurring in traditional rehabilitation [40]. Haptic devices can be understood as interfaces between humans and machines which enable interaction through touch, usually giving feedback in the form of force or motion [41]. Examples of these applications in physical rehabilitation included: treatment of motor apraxia using VR as biofeedback [42], treatment of movement disorders in Parkinson’s Disease [43, 44], and motor learning for patients with acquired brain injury [43, 45]. VR held promise with its potential to simulate the performance of tasks where specific elements can be concentrated on [42, 43, 46, 47]. VR also gained interest within the rehabilitation space due to its ability to facilitate motor learning principles in a controllable fashion [43, 46]. Compared to real environments, it has been suggested that VR applications provide real-time objective feedback regarding task performance and motivation to endure practice thus can more rapidly inducing changes in cortical plasticity [43, 46]. Also compared to real-life practice of tasks, VR has been suggested to be able to simplify tasks such that key elements can be exemplified [43]. As motor learning principles are an integral component of physical therapy (i.e. feedback, repetition, and motivation) [48], it could be theorized that at this point in time, VR-related applications began their navigation into the physical rehabilitation world as we know today.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Cutaneous Receptor
- Haptic Perception
- Laparoscopy
- Mechanoreceptor
- Proprioception
- Somatosensory System
- Ultrasound
- Skin
- Sensory Cue
- Situation Awareness