WebSTer: A Web-based Surgical Training System

School of Computer Studies

University of LeedsNuha El-Khalili, Ken Brodlie and David Kessel

http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/vis/nuha/AAA/

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

Another Minimally Invasive Surgical (MIS) application

But, on the World Wide Web (WWW)

Why the web ? What is the problem? What is the proposed solution? Evaluation of the solution. What have we learned? Conclusion

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

Why the web?

MIS needs new training methods.

VR solutions are expensive, hardware dedicated and limited in collaboration.

Web-based applications are accessible, portable and affordable.

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

What is the problem?

• Training radiologists on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA).

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

Training skills

• Representational skill

• Procedural and automated skills

• Decision making

• Manoeuvring the surgical tools

• Force perception

• Eye/hand co-ordination

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

WebSTer is the solution

Background training– Procedure steps– Captured movies– Other information

Practical training environment– Model anatomy in 3D.– Simulate surgical tool behavior.– Special input/output devices.

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

WebSTer - training simulator

InternetTCP/IP

Physically-based modelling

Java applicationServer

Socket interface

Virtual interface

Java applet

Client

Socket interface

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

WebSTer- User Interface

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

WebSTer features

• Representational skill

• Procedural and automated skills

• Decision making

• Manoeuvring the surgical tools

• Force perception

• Eye/hand co-ordination

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

WebSTer features

• Representational skill

• Procedural and automated skills

• Decision making

• Manoeuvring the surgical tools

• Force perception

• Eye/hand co-ordination

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

WebSTer features

• Representational skill

• Procedural and automated skills

• Decision making

• Manoeuvring the surgical tools

• Force perception

• Eye/hand co-ordination

A A A - p r o c e d u r e e v a l u a t io n

M e a s u r e m e n t :

U se t h e d is t a n c e to o l t o m e a s u r e t h e fo llo w in g :

A n e u r y s m n e c k :

A n e u r y s m le n g t h :

A n e u r y s m t o b ifu rc a t io n d i s t a n c e :

D e c i s io n :

I s t h e c a se s u it a b le fo r e n d o v a sc u la r p r o c e d u r e : Y e s N o

C o m m e n ts :

U se t h is s p a c e to a d d c o m m e n t s a b o u t a n y e x p e c t e d d if f ic u lt ie s i n t h e p r o c e d u r e .

T h is e v a lu a t io n b e lo n g s t o : ( p le a s e e n t e r y o u r n a m e ) .

M o d e l t y p e n u m b e r :

Se n dC le ar

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

WebSTer features

• Representational skill

• Procedural and automated skills

• Decision making

• Manoeuvring the surgical tools

• Force perception

• Eye/hand co-ordination

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

WebSTer features

• Representational skill

• Procedural and automated skills

• Decision making

• Manoeuvring the surgical tools

• Force perception

• Eye/hand co-ordination

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

Evaluation of WebSTer

– Background training web pages: focus on audience– Interactive CT display: good for non-radiologist– Decision making form: useful techniques, use for

other decisions– Visual feedback: not achieving the goal– Tool simulation: not realistic or interactive enough

•Subjective questionnaire- results:

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

What have we learned?

• VRML suffers from limitations.

• Web technologies do not support non-standard I/O devices efficiently.

• In training, realism is more important than accuracy.

January 29, 2000.MMVR 2000

Conclusion

• Training on the WWW is advantageous.

• Current technology supports prototype training applications.

• Technology development is exponential.

• How much realism vs accuracy is needed?