A New Methodology to Characterize Sensory Interaction for Use in Laparoscopic Surgery Simulation

A key concern in the design of a simulator is the level of realism necessary for proper training, and the underlying question about the level of fidelity required. A new experimental method for surgeon sensory interaction characterization has been defined and implemented. It aims to determine the relative importance of three components of surgical skill training: surgical experience and knowledge, visual cues and tactile information. The implementation is centered in studying tissue consistency perception. Preliminary results are allowing to better understanding the visual haptics concept and the relevance of the use of force feedback for developing an effective simulator for laparoscopic training.