Low-end haptic devices for knee bone drilling in a serious game, Minh Nguyen, Mohammed Melaisi, Brent Cowan, Alvaro Quevedo and Bill Kapralos
Minh Nguyen, Mohammed Melaisi, Brent Cowan, Bill Kapralos
University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa
Canada
Alvaro Joffre Uribe Quevedo
Mil. Nueva Granada University, Bogota
Colombia
Email: ing.ajuq@gmail.com
DOI: 10.1108/WJSTSD-07-2016-0047
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the application of low-end, low-fidelity (gaming/consumer-level) haptic devices for medical-based, surgical skills development (surgical bone-based drilling in particular) with serious games and virtual simulations as an affordable training solution with the potential of complementing current and traditional training methods.
Design/methodology/approach: The authors present the adaptation of two low-end haptic devices (Novint Falcon and Geomagic 3D Touch) to simulate a surgical drill drilling through bone for a serious game developed for total knee arthroplasty training. The implementation was possible through the analysis of the bone drilling mechanics. The authors provide a quantitative comparison of both haptic devices with respect to forces, movements, and development.
Findings: Although further testing is required, the initial results demonstrate that the low-end, consumer-level haptic devices can be incorporated into virtual environments/serious games to allow for the simulation of surgical drilling. The authors also believe that the results will generalize and allow these devices to be used to simulate a variety of technical-based medical procedures.
Originality/value: In contrast to previous work where the focus is placed on cost-prohibitive haptic devices, this approach considers affordable consumer-level solutions that can be easily incorporated into a variety of serious games and virtual simulations. This holds promise that haptic-based virtual simulation and serious games become more widespread, ultimately ensuring that medical trainees are better prepared before exposure to live patients.
Keywords: Virtual simulation; Serious gaming; Haptic; Low fidelity.
Citation: Nguyen, M., Melaisi, M., Cowan, B., Uribe Quevedo, A.J. and Kapralos, B. (2017), "Low-end haptic devices for knee bone drilling in a serious game", World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, Vol. 14 No. 2/3, pp. 241-253. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJSTSD-07-2016-0047
