Physically realistic computer simulation of medical procedures
First Claim
1. A method for computer simulation, comprising:
- generating a virtual reality simulation on a host computer having a display;
manipulating a medical instrument coupled to an interface including a mechanism, the medical instrument slidably moveable through an aperture of the mechanism along a linear degree of freedom;
sensing movement of the medical instrument in at least two rotary degrees of freedom and the linear degree of freedom;
transmitting position information of the medical instrument at the interface based on the sensed movement to the host computer;
updating the displayed virtual reality simulation in response to the updated position information;
selectively transmitting a force command from the host computer to the interface based on the updated position information; and
generating a force feedback sensation on the medical instrument in response to the force command.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for interfacing the movement of a shaft with a computer includes a support, a gimbal mechanism having two degrees of freedom, and three electromechanical transducers. When a shaft is engaged with the gimbal mechanism, it can move with three degrees of freedom in a spherical coordinate space, where each degree of freedom is sensed by one of the three transducers. A fourth transducer can be used to sense rotation of the shaft around an axis. The method includes the steps of defining an origin in 3-dimensional space, physically constraining a shaft in the 3-dimensional space such that a portion of the shaft always intersects the origin and such that a portion of the shaft extending beyond the origin defines a radius in a spherical coordinate system, transducing a first electrical signal related to a first angular coordinate of the radius with a first transducer, transducing a second electrical signal related to a second angular coordinate with a second transducer, transducing a third electrical signal related to the length of the radius with a third transducer, and coupling the transducers to a computer.
463 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for computer simulation, comprising:
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generating a virtual reality simulation on a host computer having a display; manipulating a medical instrument coupled to an interface including a mechanism, the medical instrument slidably moveable through an aperture of the mechanism along a linear degree of freedom; sensing movement of the medical instrument in at least two rotary degrees of freedom and the linear degree of freedom; transmitting position information of the medical instrument at the interface based on the sensed movement to the host computer; updating the displayed virtual reality simulation in response to the updated position information; selectively transmitting a force command from the host computer to the interface based on the updated position information; and generating a force feedback sensation on the medical instrument in response to the force command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A medical simulation system comprising:
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an interface adapted to receive a medical instrument, the interface including a mechanism having an aperture to slidably receive at least a portion of the medical instrument along a linear degree of freedom, the interface configured to track movement of the medical instrument along the linear degree of freedom and at least two rotary degrees of freedom; a host computer configured to generate a virtual reality representation on a display, the host computer coupled to the interface and configured to receive position information associated with the tracked movement of the medical instrument, wherein the host computer is configured to update the displayed virtual reality simulation based on the received position information and selectively output a force command; and wherein the interface includes an actuator configured to provide a force feedback sensation to the medical instrument in response to receiving the force command. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for computer simulation comprising:
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means for generating a virtual reality simulation on a host computer having a display; means for engaging a medical instrument, wherein the medical instrument is slidably moveable through an aperture along a linear degree of freedom in said means for engaging; means for sensing movement of the medical instrument in at least two rotary degrees of freedom and the linear degree of freedom; means for transmitting position information of the medical instrument on the sensed movement; means for updating the displayed virtual reality simulation in response to the updated position information; means for selectively transmitting a force command from said means for generating to said means for engaging based on the updated position information; and means for generating a force feedback sensation on the medical instrument in response to the force command. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification