Methods and Apparatus for Autonomous Casualty Simulation

• US 20080227073A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dawson, Steven L., Bardsley, Ryan Scott, Samosky, Joseph Thomas, Ottensmeyer, Mark Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,382,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/267
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/30 Anatomical models G09B23/281 - G09B23/288 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/32 with moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/34 with removable parts

Abstract

Method and apparatus to provide simulation of a human casualty. In one embodiment an autonomous casualty simulator includes a processing module having a scenario progression controller and a physiological modeling system to receive sensor input and to control effectors. The autonomous casualty simulator can be contained in a nominal human mannequin form.

Claims

1. ) A medical training system, comprising:

a) a human mannequin;

b) a central processor in the mannequin, the processor to receive input; and

c) a physiological modeling system coupled to the central processor to control physiological responses of the training system for simulating responses of a human to trauma, wherein the physiological modeling system includes a plurality of sensors and a plurality of effectors.

2. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is self-contained within the mannequin.

3. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the system can operate autonomously outside of the line-of-sight of an operator or instructor.

4. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system includes an eye system to simulate clinical signs to simulate a physiological condition.

5. ) The system according to claim 4, wherein the clinical signs include one or more of blinking, blinking at intervals, eye movement, eye movement in a direction of sound, rolling of eyes, and eyelid closing during unconsciousness.

6. ) The system according to claim 4, wherein the eye system includes first and second eyeballs with coupled yaw motion.

7. ) The system according to claim 4, wherein eye system includes support arms mounted on a pitch-frame, which pivots about an axis defined by center points of first and second eyeballs.

8. ) The system according to claim 4, wherein the eye system includes first and second eyeball and respective first and second eyelids that can be manually opened for inspection of the first and second eyeballs while remaining sealed units.

9. ) The system according to claim 4, wherein the physiological condition includes one or more of unconsciousness and head trauma.

10. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system includes a pulmonary system to generate clinical signs for enabling diagnosis of hemothorax, tension pneumothorax, and/or collapsed lung.

11. ) The system according to claim 10, wherein the mannequin inhales/exhales air through nostrils and/or a mouth into lungs of the pulmonary system.

12. ) The system according to claim 10, wherein the system includes an flow sensor to detect an increase or decrease in corresponding lung volume.

13. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system controls a simulated respiration rate, depth and/or rhythm.

14. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system controls a simulated pulse rate and strength rate.

15. ) The system according to claim 14, wherein the physiological modeling system controls simulated systolic and diastolic blood pressures that correspond to the simulated pulse rate and strength rate.

16. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system simulates clinical symptoms of angulation of a fractured C-spine.

17. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the mannequin simulates unconscious and conscious states.

18. ) The system according to claim 17, wherein the system simulates the unconsciousness states upon detecting a force to a head of the mannequin greater than a predetermined threshold.

19. ) The system according to claim 17, wherein the unconsciousness states includes simulated body limpness.

20. ) The system according to claim 17, wherein the mannequin further simulates obtunded and unconscious and neurologically compromised.

21. ) The system according to claim 1, further including a support structure corresponding to a human skeleton.

22. ) The system according to claim 21, wherein the support structure includes ribs can articulate to simulate breathing.

23. ) The system according to claim 21, wherein the support structure articulates at joints including cervical spine, lumbar spine, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles.

24. ) The system according to claim 21, wherein the support structure articulates in at least two joints selected from the group consisting of cervical spine, lumbar spine, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles.

25. ) The system according to claim 20, wherein the support structure simulates a conscious person, an obtunded person, and an unconscious person.

26. ) The system according to claim 3, wherein the sensors include an accelerometer to measure forces sustained during treatment of the mannequin.

27. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the system includes a state determined from parameters including trauma event, time relative to trauma event, sensor input values, physiological status values, and preceding state history.

28. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system includes a hemorrhage system.

29. ) The system according to claim 28, wherein an additional hemorrhage system is located in a leg of the mannequin.

30. ) The system according to claim 28, wherein the hemorrhage system simulates pulsatile arterial blood flow, and/or bone marrow seepage and/or soft tissue bleeding.

31. ) The system according to claim 30, wherein the physiological modeling system simulates changes in cardiac rate, blood pressure, respiratory signs, and state of consciousness corresponding to blood volume.

32. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system includes a jaw system to simulate jaw slackness corresponding to an unconscious state and clenching corresponding to seizure.

33. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system includes a head motion system to simulate clinical symptoms and increase human presence.

34. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system includes a sound simulation system to generate one or more of speech, labored respiratory sounds, and vocalizations.

35. ) The system according to claim 1, further including a position sensor system to determine a physical position of the mannequin.

36. ) The system according to claim 35, wherein the position sensor system detects failure of a medic to roll the mannequin as part of a training program.

37. ) The system according to claim 1, further including a storage system to store data for a training session.

38. ) The system according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a sensor to measure fluid input from a intravenous fluid input.

39. ) The system according to claim 38, further including a module to determine hemodilution.

40. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein physiological responses includes vital signs including heart rate, heart rhythm, respiratory rate, respiratory depth, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and level of consciousness.

41. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein physiological responses includes vital signs including two or more of heart rate, heart rhythm, respiratory rate, respiratory depth, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and level of consciousness.

42. ) The system according to claim 3, wherein data from the sensors includes cervical spine angle, head acceleration, arm tourniquet pressure, leg tourniquet pressure, left and right intrathoracic pressure for tension pneumothorax events, left and right main bronchus airflow, total blood volume, administered fluid volume, and core body temperature.

43. ) The system according to claim 3, wherein data from the sensors include two or more of cervical spine angle, head acceleration, arm tourniquet pressure, leg tourniquet pressure, left and right intrathoracic pressure for tension pneumothorax events, left and right main bronchus airflow, total blood volume, administered fluid volume, and core body temperature.

44. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the trauma includes initiation of limb hemorrhage, pneumothorax, tension pneumothorax, hemothorax, airway obstruction, shock, and/or seizure.

45. ) The system according to claim 1, further including medic RF-ID capability, GPS coordinate functionality, and time-of-day stamping.

46. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological modeling system includes a venous system.

47. ) The system according to claim 31, wherein the venous system can receive an intravenous (IV) fluid to which the system responds based upon the amount and/or type of IV fluid.