Researchers at Pennsylvania State University in the US have created a low-cost needle simulator to train doctors to perform complex and delicate medical procedures.
The handheld simulator is intended to provide an alternative for existing training approaches such as mannequins, which are expensive and do not imitate all kinds of patients or settings.
Designed as a haptic-force needle-insertion device, the new simulator can mimic the tactic feeling of an instrument passing through multiple tissue layers. This feature is considered beneficial as the hands of doctors need to possess a steady rate during insertion.
