A mechanical contact model for the simulation of obstetric forceps in a virtual/augmented environment

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

During the process of human childbirth, obstetric forceps delivery can be a justified alternative to emergency Caesarean section when normal vaginal delivery proves difficult or impossible. Currently, training of forceps interventions is mainly done on real patients which poses a risk. This paper describes a pilot project on the simulation of training of obstetric forceps delivery, using Virtual Reality technology. We first give a brief historical review of the concept of 'birth simulation' and describe the current implementation of the interface. Then we report a number of experiments, conducted to test the feasibility of a real-time mechanical contact model to describe the interaction between the forceps and fetal head, eventually to be interfaced with a multi-purpose haptic feedback device. It is concluded that an explicit dynamic model to calculate the deformation of the main fetal skull bones only, or a quasi-static model to calculate the deformation of the fetal head in its entirety, can reach real-time performance.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMedicine Meets Virtual Reality 13: The Magical Next Becomes the Medical Now
EditorsJ. D. Westwood, R. S. Haluck, H. M. Hoffman, G. T. Mogel, R. Phillips, R. A. Robb, K. G. Vosburgh
Place of PublicationAmsterdam, The Netherlands
PublisherIOP Publishing Ltd
Pages284-289
Number of pages6
Volume111
ISBN (Print)978-1-58603-498-6
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2005

Publication series

NameStudies in Health Technology and Informatics
PublisherIOP Press

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