JPH11219100A - Medical simulator system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need for manufacture of a physical model for each of objective simulation medical treatment actions and to make display means not always necessary. SOLUTION: This system has a simulation medical appliance 104 simulating the medical appliance used for the medical treatment action, a control means 105 which controls the condition of the simulation medical treatment action to be virtually executed by using the virtual model information for the simulation medical treatment action to be virtually carried out by an operator 100 using this simulation medical appliance 104 and medical treatment information and an announcing means 106 which announces the information obtd. by this control means 105 to the operator 100.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical simulator system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional medical simulator system will be described. FIG. 8 shows a conventional medical simulator system shown in US Pat. No. 4,907,973, in which 50 is a simulated endoscope, 51 is a model, 51a is a tip of the simulated endoscope 50, 52 is a computer, 52b Is a transmission coupling section, 52c is a transmission coupling section, 53 is a storage device, 53a
Is a transmission coupling unit, 54 is a video display device, 55 is an operator, 56 is a hand operation, and 57 is a result image.

Next, the operation will be described. The simulated endoscope 50 is inserted into the model 51 by the operator 55. A plurality of sensors are installed in the model 51, and these sensors react to the position of the distal end 51a of the simulated endoscope 50, and a corresponding signal is transmitted to the computer 52 via the transmission coupling unit 52b. Tell The computer 52 accesses the storage device 53 via the transmission coupling 52c to receive an electrical signal representing a scene observed during operation from the relative position of the tip 51a of the simulated endoscope. .

Since the movement of the tip 51a of the simulated endoscope is detected by the sensor, an image is changed on the screen of the video display device 54 in response to the movement of the tip 51a of the endoscope. In this manner, when one cycle from the hand operation 56 to the result image 57 is completed and a new hand operation is performed, a new image change is immediately made. At this time, the computer 52 is capable of interpreting various situations corresponding to the movement of the simulated endoscope 50 in order to represent an accurate image that will be observed in actual operation.

[0005]

The conventional medical simulator system requires a physical model to perform a simulated operation of a medical treatment, and therefore, a physical model is required for each simulated medical treatment to be trained, learned, or tested. There was a problem that a typical model had to be manufactured. In addition, since the status of the simulation operation is notified to the operator by the video display device, there is a problem that a display means such as a video display device is necessarily required. For example, there is a serious system problem that a medical simulator system cannot be used when an operator is blind.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and it is not necessary to manufacture a physical model for each simulated medical treatment to be performed, and display means is not necessarily required. The purpose is not to.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a medical simulator system comprising: virtual model information for virtually configuring a part or the whole of a human body or an animal; Storage means for storing medical medical information with respect to, a simulated medical instrument simulating a medical instrument used for the medical medical action, and a simulated medical medical action performed virtually by an operator using the simulated medical instrument. Control means for controlling the state of a simulated medical care practice virtually performed using the virtual model information and the medical care information stored in storage means,
Notification means for notifying an operator of information obtained by the control means.

In a medical simulator system according to a second aspect of the present invention, the control means detects contact between the virtual model information and the simulated medical instrument, and performs a simulated medical treatment according to the result of the contact detection and the medical medical information. Is realized.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the medical simulator system, wherein the information stored in the storage means is a human body which partially or entirely forms the shape of a human body or an animal using three-dimensional graphics. Or animal 3
Three-dimensional graphics shape information, three-dimensional graphics shape information of a simulated medical device that virtually configures the shape of the simulated medical device using three-dimensional graphics, and symptoms of a human or animal subject to the simulated medical treatment And state change information that describes a change in symptoms when a simulated medical treatment is performed on a human body or an animal to be subjected to the simulated medical treatment.

A medical simulator system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes a simulated operation selector for selecting a desired simulated medical treatment from a plurality of virtual simulated medical treatments.

In a medical simulator system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the notifying means is a display means for performing visual feedback.

In a medical simulator system according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the notification means is tactile presentation means for performing tactile feedback.

[0013] In a medical simulator system according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the notification means is an audio output means for performing auditory feedback.

In a medical simulator system according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the simulated medical instrument includes a plurality of sets of simulated medical instruments corresponding to a plurality of operators.

In a medical simulator system according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the display means comprises a plurality of display means.

In a medical simulator system according to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the tactile sensation providing means comprises a plurality of tactile sensation providing means.

[0017] In a medical simulator system according to claim 11 of the present invention, the sound output means comprises a plurality of sound output means.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a basic system configuration diagram of the medical simulator system according to the first embodiment. In the figure, 100 is an operator (user) operating the medical simulator system, 101 is virtual model information that virtually configures a part or the whole of a human body or an animal, and 102 is medicine related to medical treatment such as surgery, examination or experiment. Medical information, 103 is storage means for storing the virtual model information 101 and the medical medical information 102, 104 is a simulated medical instrument simulating medical instruments used for the medical medical action, 105 is an operator using the simulated medical instrument The virtual model information 101 and the medical medical information 102 stored in the storage unit 103 are used to grasp and control the status of the virtual medical simulation that is virtually performed. Control means for notifying an operator of information obtained by the control means. It is a known means.

Next, the operation will be described. First, the operator 100 simulates a medical treatment by moving the simulated medical instrument 104 on the virtual model information 101 that is virtually configured. FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional graphics shape information diagram specifically explaining the configuration of the virtual model information.

In the figure, reference numeral 200 denotes three-dimensional graphics shape information of a human body or an animal that virtually configures a part or the whole shape of a human body or an animal using three-dimensional graphics, and 201 denotes a shape of the simulated medical instrument. 3
This is a simulated medical device three-dimensional graphics shape information virtually configured using three-dimensional graphics. Reference numeral 202 denotes the number of vertices constituting each piece of three-dimensional graphics shape information, 200 indicates 1,000 vertices, and 201 indicates 100 vertices. Reference numeral 203 denotes a first vertex element constituting each piece of three-dimensional graphics shape information. Here, vertex coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1), a normal vector (L1, M1, N1) at the vertex, and color information ( R
1, G1, B1) is shown as an example. It is not necessary to have all the information, and further information may be added as needed.

Reference numeral 204 denotes the number of surfaces constituting each three-dimensional graphics shape information, and 200 denotes 4,000 surfaces, 20
1 indicates that the surface is composed of 400 surfaces. 205 is 3 for each
This is a first surface constituting the dimensional graphics shape information, and indicates that this first surface is a triangle having first, second, and third vertex coordinates. The surface configuration need not be triangular. Generally, a polygon is used, but a circle or a sphere may be represented by specifying a center point and a radius. Here, for simplicity, a case where the three-dimensional graphics shape information is composed of information of vertices and planes is shown as an example. Alternatively, a color table may be provided, and the color may be specified by the color table index. Further, instead of the information description method using surface data as shown in FIG. 2, the three-dimensional graphics shape information may be described using a set of point information called volume data.

FIG. 3 is an eye surgery information diagram specifically illustrating the structure of the medical information in the case of eye surgery. In the figure, reference numeral 300 denotes a cataract patient symptom information diagram describing a patient's symptom in a simulated cataract surgery, and reference numeral 301 denotes a state change information diagram describing a symptom change of an affected part with respect to a simulated cataract operation in a simulated cataract surgery. From the cataract patient symptom information 300 in FIG. 3, the patient of the present simulated surgery has cataract and the hardness of the lens nucleus is grade 2,
It can be seen that phaco can be a target of obtaining two types of surgical techniques. Also, because it is grade 2 hardness,
It can be seen that when a force of 1.0 kg is applied, lens nucleation occurs. In the simulated surgery, if a force greater than this is applied, the lens nucleus division is set to occur.

On the other hand, from the state change information 301, it can be seen that the conjunctival incision involves bleeding and the amount is 1 ml / s, so that it is possible to simulate an increase in the amount of bleeding in the simulated operation. In addition, when a corneal incision is made, a port is formed, and phaco can be inserted.
Attempts to insert haco can damage the cornea. These matters are also known from the state change information 301 and can be simulated in the simulated surgery.

Examples of the simulated medical practice include, for example,
Practice of surgery, rehearsal of examination method, experiment of new surgical technique, etc. are mentioned. Here, the operator 100
Describes a situation in which a simulated medical treatment is performed using the simulated medical instrument 104, taking a simulated cataract surgery as an example. The operator 100 moves the simulated medical instrument 104 on the virtual model information 101,
The position information of the simulated medical instrument 104 on the virtual model information 101 changes. This change in the position information is transmitted to the control means 105 by a position detection mechanism such as a sensor or a motor installed in the simulated medical instrument 104. For example, a sensor is attached to the tip of a simulated surgical instrument that simulates a scalpel, a method of obtaining position information by a three-dimensional motion measurement device, the rotation angle of a motor attached to a force sense presentation device called a haptic device, or the expansion and contraction of a string From the distance, a change in the position of the simulated medical instrument 104 on the virtual model information 101 can be known.

As a specific device, Northern
Digital Inc. OPT manufactured and sold by
O TRAK, Sensable Technology
ies Inc. PANToM manufactured and sold by
Haptic Master, which is being studied at the University of Tsukuba, or SPIDAR, which is being studied at Tokyo Tech. All of these situations take place in virtual space,
FIG. 4 shows a visual representation of the situation of the simulated eye surgery in the virtual space. Reference numeral 101 denotes the virtual model information, which indicates a model of an eyeball which is a part of a human body. Reference numeral 104 denotes the simulated medical instrument, and two instruments on the left and right are prepared to simulate an operation using two methods.

Here, the virtual model information 101 and the simulated medical instrument 104 are composed of three-dimensional graphics data as shown in FIG. Therefore, if graphic geometry is applied, contact detection between the eyeball model and the simulated medical instrument can be performed. When the simulated medical instrument does not touch the eyeball model, the eyeball state does not change. However, when the simulated medical instrument touches the eyeball model and performs some medical treatment, the state of the eyeball model changes.

For example, it is assumed that a scalpel is taken as the simulated medical instrument 104 and a part called conjunctiva which forms a part of the eyeball model is incised. The determination as to whether the scalpel has come into contact with the conjunctiva can be realized by applying graphic geometry as described above. Specifically, the equation between a plane and a plane or between a plane and a line segment is solved.If the solution of this equation exists, contact between the scalpel and the conjunctiva has occurred.If there is no solution, the scalpel contacts the conjunctiva. It can be determined that it has not been done. If the scalpel is in contact with the conjunctiva, the incision of the conjunctiva is to be performed, and the control means 105 recognizes that the state of the simulated cataract surgery has shifted to the conjunctival incision. The state change information 301 indicates how the operation state changes due to conjunctival incision.
You can know from. According to the state change information 301, it is understood that conjunctival incision is accompanied by bleeding. Further, it can be seen that the bleeding amount is 1 ml / s, and the bleeding amount continues to increase until hemostatic treatment is performed using an electric iron.

As another example, a case where the lens nucleus is crushed using phaco can be considered. The phaco as the simulated medical device 104 and the contact with the lens nucleus constituting a part of the eyeball model are detected, the contact is detected, and when a certain or more force is applied to the lens nucleus, the lens is crushed. can do. According to 300 in FIG. 3, the hardness of the lens nucleus is grade 2, and in the case of the hardness of grade 2, it can be seen that the lens nucleus can be crushed when a force of 1.0 kg is applied. Based on the information, the control means 105 can execute simulation of lens nucleation.

A series of processes described above, that is, a contact detection calculation between the virtual model information 101 and the simulated medical device 104 is performed based on the position information notified from the simulated medical device 104, and the calculation result The means for realizing a simulated medical treatment for a virtually set symptom using the medical treatment information 102 based on the medical treatment information 102 is the control unit 105. Further, the notifying unit 106 is a unit that notifies the information of the simulated medical treatment recognized by the control unit 105 to the operator 100 performing the simulated medical treatment. Examples of the notification unit include a display unit that performs visual feedback, a tactile presentation unit that performs force or tactile feedback, and an audio output unit that performs auditory feedback. Here, as an example, a case where the notification unit 105 is realized by using a display unit will be described.

FIG. 5 shows an example in the case where display means is used as the notification means. Reference numeral 500 denotes a screen viewed by an operator performing simulated medical care, and reference numeral 501 denotes a screen viewed by a person other than the operator. Reference numeral 500 denotes an image of the state of the eyeball surgery viewed from directly above, which simulates the situation in the actual eyeball surgery. On the other hand, reference numeral 501 denotes a state in which the state of the eye surgery is viewed from the side, and is an image that cannot be obtained by the actual eye surgery. This assumes that someone other than the operator will see it. Since only 500 images are obtained in actual surgery, for example, in eye surgery, there is a risk that a surgical instrument may touch the posterior capsule portion and cause posterior capsule damage. However, by providing an image of a side view of the surgical condition, it is possible to recognize the condition in which posterior capsule damage occurs and give advice to the operator. In the present embodiment, a case has been described in which a plurality of display means are used and a plurality of persons view different images to obtain separate information and give advice on surgical practice to each other. A plurality of pieces of information can be provided by switching the images using a single image, for example, only a single image, for example, only image information from directly above is provided. And notify the operator. The notification means at this time may be performed using a voice output means, or may be displayed as character information on an image viewed by the operator. Further, it is possible for a plurality of operators to jointly perform a simulated medical treatment while sharing a single display means. This can be useful for training of cooperative operation in actual surgery.

Further, when a means other than the display means is used as the notifying means, for example, when the tactile sensation providing means or the voice output means is used, the case where a single means is used as the notifying means and the case where a plurality of It is considered that the above method is used. When a single means is used, medical practice can be practiced at an individual level, and when a plurality of means are used, a group practice can be performed. At the time of group practice, a plurality of the simulated medical instruments 104 may be required. Of course, it is conceivable to use a plurality of means at the individual level. For example, it is a display means and a tactile presentation means, or a hand tactile presentation means and a foot tactile presentation means.

As described above, the medical simulator system does not use a physical model that physically and spatially represents a part or the whole of a patient. A model constituting a part or the whole of a human body or an animal is virtually constructed based on the virtual model information 101. For example, it is stored in a storage medium such as a disk or a memory on a computer, and does not require a physical model. US as prior art
In P4,907,973, it was necessary to construct the model 51 in order to know the position information of the simulated endoscope 50, and to install a sensor therein. However, in the present medical simulator system, the position information of the simulated medical device 104 is based on sensors installed on the simulated medical device 104,
Since it can be directly known by a position detecting mechanism such as a motor, there is no need to construct the model 51. By virtually constructing a model that constitutes a part or the whole of a human body or an animal without using a physical model, the production of a physical model can be made unnecessary.

Embodiment 2 FIG. In the first embodiment,
The case where the display means is used as the notification means 105 has been described. As a means for notifying the operator, a display means appealing visually is generally used, but a display means is not always necessary. Here, a second embodiment in which a notification unit other than the display unit is used as the notification unit will be described.

As a first example, a description will be given of a method of realizing the notifying means using the tactile sensation providing means for providing a tactile or haptic feedback. FIG. 6 is a view schematically showing the tactile sense presenting means, for example, Virtual Tec.
hnologies Inc. Gy manufactured and sold by
ber Touch. In the figure, 6
00 is a glove, 601 is a motor, and 602 is a cable for transmitting control information of the motor. The operator operates the glove 6
When 00 is performed and a hand grip operation or the like is performed in the virtual space, the rotation angle of the motor 601 is transmitted to the control unit 105 via the cable 602. The control means 105 can know the movement of the joint of each finger from the rotation angle of each motor. In a simulated medical practice, the control means 1
If it is determined in step 05 that feedback such as force sense or tactile sense is necessary, control information for generating force sense or tactile sense is transmitted to the motor 601 via the cable 602.
Tell By rotating each motor based on the transmitted motor control information, it is possible to generate force or tactile feedback to the operator. In this case, the tactile sensation presentation unit has the functions of both the simulated medical instrument 104 and the notification unit 106.

As an example of the medical treatment, there is a liver test, for example. The lower edge of a normal liver is usually located at or slightly below the right rib bone, but if the liver is enlarged, the liver has expanded further down. This may be severe hepatitis or hepatomegaly,
It is important to regularly diagnose the size of the liver by palpation.

This palpation of the liver requires considerable experience and is a medical practice requiring skill. It is not the best way to practice with an actual patient, but at present, a method of gaining experience with an actual patient while being trained by a skilled person is used. On the other hand, at present, a cross-sectional image of a human body can be captured by an apparatus called X-ray or MRI, and the virtual model information 101 can be constructed by treating the obtained image data as volume data. Then, a virtual diagnosis is performed on the virtual model information 101 using the simulated medical instrument 104, here a tactile sensation presentation unit such as CyberTouch, using medical / medical information regarding the liver. You can practice liver palpation without having to deal with it. Another example is massage practice.

As described above, using the tactile sensation providing means capable of feeling the tactile sensation, it is possible to practice the medical medical practice on the virtually constructed model information. In any case, display means for providing visual feedback is not indispensable, and a tactile presentation device that provides tactile feedback is sufficient.

In addition, SensAble Technology
offices Inc. Manufactured and sold by PHANTo
M Workshop (PHANToM Use
Research reports by r's Group Works indicate that these tactile devices can present not only force and tactile sensations, but also thermal sensations, and include warmth feedback that can be felt by touch. Can be.

Further, the status of the simulation test can be reported by voice. The voice of the current location of the test or the condition of the affected area, and the procedure of the test,
The operator can also be notified. Of course, such information may be included in the display means for notification, but in the case of a blind operator, visual feedback is not required. In this case, means other than the display means as the notification means, that is, tactile presentation means or voice It is better to use an output means. Furthermore, the sound of instruments used for surgery or treatment can be simulated using the audio output means.

As described above, it is not always necessary to use the display means as the notification means 106, and the notification means 106 can be realized by using the tactile presentation means or the voice output means for performing the tactile, force or temperature sensation feedback.

Embodiment 3 In the first and second embodiments, an example of simulating a single medical treatment has been described. However, by providing a simulation operation selector in one medical simulator system, the practice of simulating a plurality of medical treatments is performed. Mode 3 is shown.

FIG. 7 is a menu of a plurality of simulated medical treatments prepared in one medical simulator system. As described above, since the virtual model information 101 is virtually constructed on storage means such as a memory of a computer or a disk, a plurality of medical models can be replaced by replacing the virtual model information and medical / medical information. It is possible to simulate medical practice. FIG. 7 shows a menu displayed on the computer display as an example. When one of these is selected by mouse or keyboard input, the corresponding information is read from the disk and stored in the memory. As a result, the selected medical treatment can be simulated.
These selection methods may be performed by voice input or a head track without using a mouse or a keyboard. Further, there is no need to display the menu on the computer display, and the menu may be read aloud by voice guidance, or a hardware switch button may be prepared.

As described above, by providing the simulated motion selector, one medical simulator system can select a single simulated motion from a plurality of simulated motions and perform various trainings. That is, a single system can simulate a plurality of medical treatments by switching the operation selector. Further, in the second embodiment, it is possible to construct a simulator system which is effective for a blind person or a visually impaired person by using a notifying means as required.

[0044]

As described above, according to the medical simulator system of the present invention, a model constituting a part or the whole of a human body or an animal is virtually constructed.
Physical models can be made unnecessary.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic system configuration diagram of a medical simulator system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 specifically illustrates a configuration of virtual model information.
3D graphics shape information diagram.

FIG. 3 is an eye surgery information diagram specifically illustrating a configuration of medical medical information.

FIG. 4 is a simulated eyeball surgery situation diagram in a virtual space.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a display means as a notification means.

FIG. 6 is a view schematically showing a tactile sense presentation device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a plurality of simulated medicine medical practice menus.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a conventional medical simulator system.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 operator, 101 virtual model information, 102
Medical / medical information, 103 storage means, 104 simulated medical instrument, 105 control means, 106 notification means.

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A storage means for storing virtual model information virtually configuring a part or the whole of a human body or an animal and medical medical information on medical medical operations such as surgery, examination or experiment, and A simulated medical device simulating a medical device to be used, and the virtual model information and the medical medical information stored in the storage unit for a simulated medical medical operation virtually performed by an operator using the simulated medical device. A medical simulator system comprising: a control unit that controls a situation of a simulated medical practice virtually performed using the control unit; and a notification unit that notifies an operator of information obtained by the control unit. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects contact between the virtual model information and the simulated medical device, and implements a simulated medical treatment in accordance with the result of the contact detection and the medical treatment information. Features a medical simulator system. 3. The three-dimensional information of a human body or an animal according to claim 1, wherein the information stored in the storage means includes a part or the entire shape of the human body or the animal, which is virtually configured using three-dimensional graphics. The graphics shape information, the three-dimensional graphics shape information of the simulated medical device that virtually configures the shape of the simulated medical device using three-dimensional graphics, and the symptoms of a human or animal subject to the simulated medical treatment. A medical simulator system, comprising: described symptom information; and state change information that describes a change in a symptom when a simulated medical treatment is performed on a human body or an animal to be subjected to the simulated medical treatment. 4. The medical simulator system according to claim 1, further comprising a simulated operation selector for selecting a desired simulated medical treatment from a plurality of virtual simulated medical treatments. 5. The medical simulator system according to claim 1, wherein said notifying means is a display means for performing visual feedback. 6. The medical simulator system according to claim 1, wherein said notification means is tactile presentation means for performing tactile feedback. 7. The medical simulator system according to claim 1, wherein said notifying means is an audio output means for performing auditory feedback. 8. The medical simulator system according to claim 1, wherein the simulated medical device includes a plurality of sets of simulated medical devices corresponding to a plurality of operators. 9. The medical simulator system according to claim 5, wherein said display means comprises a plurality of display means. 10. The medical simulator system according to claim 6, wherein said tactile sensation providing means comprises a plurality of tactile sensation providing means. 11. The medical simulator system according to claim 7, wherein said audio output means comprises a plurality of audio output means.