New Study Concludes Surgical Simulators Improve Operating Room Abilities

Regardless of the industry, whenever you are working on implementing a simulation-based solution, it helps to have research studies available to support your premise. Rather than assuming that users of simulators will benefit from virtual experiences, it always helps to have research papers available to support your ideas.

A new study released this month by the Annals of Surgery, the most referenced surgical journal in the world, is a big help when it comes to assessing the effectiveness of virtual surgery simulators. Individualized Deliberate Practice on a Virtual Reality Simulator Improves Technical Performance of Surgical Novices in the Operating Room: A Randomized Controlled Trial, investigates whether practice on virtual reality surgical simulators improves performance in real-world operating rooms.

The study was conducted by Surgical Science, the makers of the LapSim virtual laparoscopic training simulator. The conclusion of the study is that deliberate individualized practice on a virtual reality simulator improves technical performance in the operating room. The authors believe that the results of their study will lead to more implementation of simulation-based curricula in residency training programs.

This study is just one more publication that confirms the use of virtual reality surgical training simulators. Surgical Science has compiled, and made public, a collection of over 40 research papers that validate the use of virtual reality training simulators for operating room professionals. Titled LapSim Validation Studies, the report includes publications from the American Journal of Surgery, the British Medical Journal, and the Annals of Surgery.

Whether you're trying to sell, develop, or market a virtual surgery simulator, it always helps to have data like this to substantiate your project to stake holders. Being able to verify the perceived goals, be they improvements of procedural outcomes, increased patient safety, or better utilization of resources, before the entire project investment is made will help to ensure a successful project.

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Virtual Human Anatomy iPhone App

BioDigital Human is now available as a free download for iPhone and iPad.

BioDigital Human is an excellent interactive virtual human anatomy and health condition modeling application. Including over 5,000 anatomy objects, users are able to learn about every part of the body from organs to systems to functions. A New York Times article called it: "the virtual body as the health education equivalent of Google Maps".

BioDigital Virtual Human Demo Video

Providing a virtual cadaver that can be examined and dissected an infinite number of times is an invaluable asset to the medical community. Real-world cadavers have a limited use, can be difficult to acquire, and their health conditions cannot be customized. All of these limitations can be overcome with BioDigital Human, allowing for complete manipulation of the virtual body so that specific body parts and conditions specific to them can be studied.

By providing the application as a free iPhone app, a larger section of the population has access to a powerful tool that allows them to see and understanding the interworkings of their body. Students, educators, patients, providers, and businesses are all able to take advantage of this mobile application to better understand, describe, visualize, diagnose, and market products for the human body.

Definitely check it out if you're looking for a quick way to learn about anything within human anatomy, from bones to organs to metabolic systems.

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Construction Equipment Simulators Used For More Than Just Training

It should come as no surprise the construction equipment manufactures utilize virtual simulators when it comes to training operators, but what you may not be aware of is the extent to which companies like Volvo leverage simulators. Throughout the entire product development cycle, Volvo is using 3D simulation in places that had always relied on physical testing in the past, allowing them to lower production schedules and costs.

Dr. Reno Filla, a Product Development Specialist at Volvo Construction Equipment, recently spoke with Verdi Ogewell from the Verkstads Forum about the importance of simulation within Volvo for everything from prototyping machinery, to tasks that cannot be conducted in the real world. He discusses how they are able to develop a number of virtual concepts, allow the multiple concepts to compete against each other, and then choose the winner for real-world production. This virtual prototyping process allows Volvo to develop and test a higher degree of variation in their concepts, something that is far to expensive to do with the physical prototyping process.

Volvo Construction Equipment Simulator

From designing more efficient equipment, to training people to be safer operators, Volvo has made a significant commitment to their simulation systems.  Just as equipment operators must learn to move the required amount of materials in their allotted time slots, equipment developers must design, test and produce equipment in cost-effective development cycles. Simulations are a proven method for meeting the high demands placed on everyone who works in the construction equipment industry.

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I/ITSEC 2013 Highlights

Happy new year, here's to a great 2014. And just in case you missed it last month, here are some of the highlights from I/ITSEC 2013. I/ITSEC (Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference) is the largest modeling and simulation event in the world. The annual conference in Orlando promotes cooperation among the armed services, academia and various industries and government agencies in the pursuit of improved training and education programs. This year's conference had approximately 14,000 registrants, including 1,900 international registrants from 70 countries.


Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation & Education Conference - iitsec.org

I/ITSEC 2013 Videos from The National Training and Simulation Association

Alion Ship Readiness Control Officer Training Simulator


KMW Railroad Simulator Systems


LSI Virtual Courseware


Thales Hybrid Inertial Optical Platform


Virtusphere Full Body Movement

The NTSA's mission is to ensure national and international awareness and utilization of the full potential of modeling, simulation and virtual reality across the full spectrum of human learning and research. NTSA is the preeminent nexus among industry, government and research organizations in the furtherance of the technology and community of practice. NTSA provides an effective, universally recognized, formal organization to further the business development and research interests of the modeling and simulation training services and support industries in the domestic and international marketplaces. It serves as the focal point for thought and analysis on the future direction and potential of the industry as it expands rapidly into multiple new areas. Finally, NTSA promotes recognition of the multiple benefits of modeling and simulation among sectors that have yet to fully embrace the technology.

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I/ITSEC 2013 Starts Next Week

I/ITSEC, the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, begins next week in Orlando, Florida. I/ITSEC is the largest modeling and simulation event in the world and promotes cooperation among the Armed Services, Industry, Academia and various government agencies in pursuit of improved training and education programs, identification of common training issues and development of multiservice programs.



I/ITSEC now attracts well over 500 corporations, government and research organizations from the United States and from over 60 countries around the globe. Over 150 research and scientific papers are presented and discussed, making I/ITSEC not only the world’s largest exhibition of modeling and simulation technology, but also the world’s most important annual focal point for advancement of these technologies.

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Construction and Agriculture Equipment Training Simulators

These days if you're in the business of selling construction or agriculture equipment you also need to offer to a line of operator training simulators to compete in today's market. John Deere is one of the largest manufacturers of agriculture, construction, and forestry machinery in the world. Their products include tractors, harvesters, balers, planters, loaders, dozers, excavators, mowers, and diesel engines. But it's not just real-world machinery that sets John Deere apart from their competitors. Their impressive line of training simulators sets them apart as an industry leader when it comes to virtual training for construction and agriculture equipment operator training, and sets the bar higher if you're trying to compete with them.

Offering simulators to end-users at affordable prices allows organizations to train operators in a cost-effective, safe, and risk-free virtual environment. Their simulators allow operators to become familiar with equipment controls, learn proper techniques, and gain the necessary level of confidence required to operate the machinery.

Construction Equipment Operator Training Simulators

Simulation-based training reduces fuel and operating costs, eliminates the need for real-world machinery downtime, and minimizes the risks to personnel. Simulators that replicate machine controls, feature budget-based training, and expose operators to real-world situations and jobsite hazards, produce more highly skilled operators. Training simulators allow you to train your operators regardless of the time of day, weather conditions, or any other limitation that reduces the amount of real-world training you can conduct.

If you're competing in the construction and agriculture heavy equipment business and you're not offering a training simulator to your customers, chances are your potential customers are going to go with one of your competitors that do offer training simulators to their clients.

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International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition Training Simulators

Next week the International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) will take place in Louisville, Kentucky. If you work in either the Electric, Phone and Cable, Sewer and Water, Gas, General Construction, Landscaping, or Public Works Construction sectors - this is the place to be. If you're attending the exposition, you'll have the opportunity to demo the latest and greatest equipment, meet with industry experts and learn about recent advances in technology that are affecting your industry. With a focus on hands-on experiences, you'll be able to try out a wide variety of equipment in job-like conditions to see how your organization can benefit from the range of products being demonstrated.

And it's not just real-world equipment that you'll be able to get your hands on, a number of heavy equipment 3D training simulators will be available for attendees to try out as well. My company ForgeFX will be there demonstrating some of our latest heavy equipment virtual training simulators, booth number 1818. So if you're going to be in attendance, stop by, meet our team, and try your hand at operating some of our virtual earth moving training simulators. If you'd like to meet privately with us at the expo to discuss having us build a simulator for you, your best bet is to contact us now and schedule an appointment as our calendar is rapidly filling up.



Heavy Equipment Training Simulators

Our training simulators give operators a chance to fully master machine knowledge and controls, understand the full range of machine handling, and develop correct instinctive operation behaviors. All of this is done in a safe virtual environment where mistakes become learning opportunities rather than costly mishaps. Our clients have cited a number of economic advantages that accompany simulation-based training, including a reduction in fuel consumption, less wear-and-tear on real-world machinery, fewer collisions, and lower instances of human error-based mistakes. With more and more heavy equipment manufactures providing virtual training simulators packages with their real-world equipment, can you really afford not to offer a training simulator for all of your products?

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