Video Games Enhance Surgical Spatial Relations Skills

If you've ever taken the controls of a surgical training simulator, and tried to perform even the most basic procedure on your first attempt, you're aware that it's a little more complicated than that. In addition to an understanding of the controls and tools at your disposal, you also need a high level of hand-eye coordination plus a good feel for the spatial relationships between objects in the virtual environment. The same can be said for many popular video games these days, many of which come with interactive tutorials and detailed instructions manuals. As the similarities between training simulator and video game technology and methodology continue to interweave with each other, it should come as no surprise that there is cross-over when it comes to the skills learned in one discipline being applied to the other.

A study conducted by the Department of Surgical Sciences at Sapienza University in Italy, titled: "Play to Become a Surgeon: Impact of Nintendo WII Training on Laparoscopic Skills", studied the influence of four weeks of structured Nintendo WII by a group of residents in General, Vascular and Endoscopic Surgery. Half the group received WII training, while the other half did not. All of the participants hand-eye coordination and spatial relations skills were measured on laparoscopic simulators over the course of the study. At the conclusion of the study, those given WII training showed significant improvement in 13 of the 16 performance metrics that were analyzed.

While the study stops short of concluding that institutions include video games in their curriculum, it does advocate for the development of dedicated software aimed at young surgeons. The skills developed while playing video games and operating simulators will provide them with a tremendous advantage in the development of the skills required to master today's surgical procedures. Surgical training simulators provide many benefits to Sales and Marketing departments in addition to the skills that surgeons learn from them. A company that can demonstrate their tool virtually has an advantage over a competitor that can only demonstrate their product during an actual surgical procedure.

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World's Most Advanced Virtual Reality Neurosurgical Simulator

If you're interested in medical training simulators or neurosurgical oncology, the most frequently used brain cancer surgery treatment, you've got to check out NeuroTouch Cranio. Developed by the National Research Council Canada, NeuroTouch is touted as the most advanced virtual reality neurosurgical simulator in the world. The simulator's objective is to improve patient safety through the use of virtual reality-based surgical rehearsal, training, planning, and evaluation.


NeuroTouch Neurosurgical Simulator

The simulator includes high-resolution haptics that give the user the ability to feel the difference between normal and tumor tissue during the virtual cranial microsurgery. The Neurosurgical Simulation Center at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital uses NeuroTouch to train for tumor debulking, hemostasis, and microdissection.

Tumor Debulking

In an effort to enhance the effectiveness of radiation, tumor debulking involves the removal of tumor tissue with an ultrasonic aspirator, while blood is aspirated with suction to clear the view.

Neurosurgical Simulator Tumor Debulking

Hemostasis

Hemostasis is a process used to stop bleeding through cauterization. Tissue close to the bipolar electrocautery tips begins to coagulate, tissue aspiration reveals deep tissue bleeding that is not coagulating and needs to be cauterized.

Neurosurgical Simulator Hemostasis

Microdissection

During microdissection, users practice an en-bloc dissection of a brain tumor using forceps and micro-scissors.

Neurosurgical Simulator Microdissection

NeuroTouch Cranio is a virtual reality simulator for select cranial microsurgery procedures that uses stereovision and bimanual tool handles with forced feedback, including cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirators, bipolar and micro-scissors. The simulator computes real-time interactions between surgical tools and tissue, using contact algorithms and tool-specific interaction models to render tissue dissection, aspiration of liquids and cauterization. >.

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ForgeFX Simulators at SIGGRAPH 2013

ForgeFX would like to thank everyone who stopped by our booth last week at SIGGRAPH in Anaheim, The 40th International Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques. If you study, create, or use computer graphics and interactive techniques, SIGGRAPH is the conference for you. ForgeFX was honored to be one of the exhibitors this year, offering a sneak peak at their latest 3D training simulator products, along with some cutting/bleeding edge hardware solutions.


ForgeFX Training Simulator Station at SIGGRAPH

ForgeFX had both platform and desktop simulator stations available for conference attendees to try out. While few of the attendees had much experience operating the types of heavy equipment the simulators train operators for, they were able to jump onto the simulator and give it a shot, without worrying about potentially damaging a multi-million dollar piece of machinery. In most cases, people were able to quickly master the basic controls of the machinery at a high enough level to begin learning the more complicated process of using the equipment.


ForgeFX Training Simulators Utilizing Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Display

Most of our simulators run on traditional flat screens, though we are always experimenting with new hardware technology solutions. While not quite ready for prime time, ForgeFX demonstrated a prototype of a training simulator using a virtual reality head-mounted display systems. With more and more demand for movement and gesture controlled virtual reality, ForgeFX is constantly examining options as they become available and demonstrating their results.

Thanks from all of us at ForgeFX.

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by our booth and took the time to try out our simulators. We always love to see people using the products we develop, getting their feedback, and coming up with new ways to leverage simulator technology. If you didn't get a chance to visit us at SIGGRAPH this year please don't hesitate to contact us to discuss simulator development.

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Simulated Aircraft Deicing at Ramstein Air Base in Germany

The aircraft deicing training simulator that ForgeFX developed for Global Ground Support was recently installed at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The 3D simulator is a computer-based virtual training simulation system that provides an operator with the ability to practice and take a “performance test”, while performing a virtual aircraft deicing event in a 3D environment.

Aircraft Deicing Training Simulator at Ramstein Air Base

Air Force Staff Sgt. William Carter, 721st Aerial Port Squadron, instructs Chief Master Sgt. Martin S. Klukas, command senior enlisted leader, U.S. Transportation Command on the deicing simulator while Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III, commander, U.S. Transportation Command looks on during their tour to the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

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Shovel Operator Training Simulator Demo Video

ProMiner Shovel Operator Training Simulator Demo Video

The ProMiner Shovel Operator Training Simulator, a 3D simulator developed by ForgeFX for P&H Mining, increases your company’s bottom line by producing an extremely well trained workforce. Operators become experts in moving more material in less time, significantly increasing the mine’s productivity. The training simulator allows both novice and veteran operators to train in a safe virtual environment, where mistakes become valuable lessons instead of costly mishaps. Training simulators lead to less real-world machine downtime for operator training, and higher overall efficiency levels, by providing a realistic virtual training environment where techniques can be mastered quickly and safely.

ForgeFX, a proud partner of P&H Mining Equipment, a division of Joy Global Inc., specializes in the development of custom 3D training simulators.

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MODSIM World 2013 Starts Next Week

MODSIM World 2013, a multi-disciplinary international Modeling and Simulation Conference and Exposition, begins on April 30th in Hampton Roads, Virginia. MODSIM World is a multi-disciplinary conference for the exchange of modeling and simulation knowledge, research and technology across industry, government and academia.

Areas of focus at the conference and exposition include:

• Defense
• Healthcare/Medicine
• Engineering & Applied Science
• Information Assurance and Cyber Warfare
• Cross-Cutting Applications in Modeling and Simulation
• Education/Workforce Development
• Transportation, and Manufacturing.

The event includes a tour of the NASA Langley Research Center, NASA's oldest field center. Langley Research Center primarily focuses on aeronautical research and is responsible for a number of technology breakthroughs, including the development of the Lunar Landing Facility, that enabled NASA to simulate the effects of lunar gravity.

Conference Highlights Include:

• Education and Workforce Development Track: “Teaching STEM through Modeling, Simulations and Games in Education”.
• Defense Track: "Senior Leaders Perspective on Modeling and Simulation".
• Healthcare and Medicine Track: “An Examination of the use of Simulation for Improving Healthcare Logistics, Learning, Knowledge, and Skills”.
• Homeland Security and Cyber Analytics Track: “Modeling, Simulation and Risk Analysis”.
• Manufacturing, Transportation and Logistics Track: “Simulation-Based Adaptive Decision Support in a Shipyard Environment”.

For more information about this modeling and simulation conference and exposition visit the MODSIM World 2013 web site.

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Operator Training Simulator Supervisor Position Opening

Fircroft, a leading provider of technical recruitment services for the Oil and Gas industries, has an opening for an Operator Training Simulator Supervisor in Houston, Texas. The role is a full time contractor position, that requires 5+ years of Oil and Gas industry and Information Technology experience.

Job Description: Management of Operator Training Simulator (OTS) to ensure that all OTS trainers receive adequate training in all aspects of OTS operation, appropriate to their responsibilities and disciplines, so that the necessary level of competence Plant Operations and Maintenance personnel will be achieved. Ensuring information, data and systems contained in the OTS are accurate and 'up-to-date' with the LNG Plant equipment and processes. To develop training 'scenarios', training material, programs, schedules and delivery methodologies that ensure Plant Operations and Maintenance personnel are competent to perform their respective job/positions tasks and functions. This is a supervisory position, the incumbent is expected to orient, train and develop OTS Trainers on the team; provide appropriate coaching, guidance and supervision.

Full job description: Operator Training Simulator Supervisor

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