A high-fidelity haptic device for virtual ear surgery

动机：耳部手术是具有挑战性的，因为耳朵的内部结构是微妙和微小的。目前，耳部手术的培训是采用学徒制的方法进行的，受训者观察外科医生，然后在病人身上练习手术。这种方法将患者置于危险之中。作为替代方案，我们开发了一种使用虚拟现实（VR）技术的训练模拟器。模拟器向受训者呈现可以进行手术的耳朵的3D数字模型。受训者使用“触觉”设备与数字耳朵模型进行交互。该设备同时允许受训者移动3D数字手术工具并感受工具和数字耳模型之间的相互作用力。耳部手术中遇到的力很小，需要高保真触觉设备来准确地表示它们。我们目前的触觉设备是不准确的。

MOTIVATION: Ear surgery is challenging because the internal structures of the ear are delicate and tiny. Currently, training in ear surgery is done using an apprenticeship approach in which the trainee observes a surgeon then practices the procedure on patients. This approach places patients at risk. As an alternative, we have developed a training simulator using virtual-reality (VR) technology. The simulator presents the trainee with a 3D digital model of the ear that can be operated upon. The trainee uses a "haptic" device to interact with the digital ear model. The device simultaneously allows the trainee to move a 3D digital surgical tool and feel interaction forces between the tool and the digital ear model. The forces encountered in ear surgery are tiny and a high-fidelity haptic device is needed to accurately represent them. Our current haptic device is not accurate.