Development of a Virtual Reality Simulator for a Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery

Robotics has a significant impact on minimally invasive surgery, and its introduction into the operating room requires assiduous training of the surgeon. This requires technology that can be used to teach the surgeon to operate these robots in a safe environment. Virtual reality (VR) has started to be used as a teaching tool, rapidly growing in popularity. By means of this technology, an immersive three-dimensional virtual environment can be created. This article describes the development of a simulator for robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery using VR technology. The surgical robot consists of a Remote Center of Motion mechanism used to manipulate an active instrument for grasping. Virtual grasping event by the surgical instrument is signaled both as a safety measure and to reduce the learning curve. The simulation is performed using a virtual human patient featuring internal organs.