Soft, Stiffness and Shape-Changing Haptics for Medical Simulation – SoftHapSim

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

"Examination and manipulation of masses inside the body are essential skills for medical
practitioners. Unexplained lumps on a patient can indicate a range of conditions from skin tags to lymphadenitis or cancer. Early and accurate assessments are important in determining timely diagnosis and treatment. Factors such as the location, size, hardness, mobility and tenderness of a lump all contribute to a doctor’s understanding of the lump and what might be causing it. Whilst visual examination is useful, the hardness and mobility of lumps must be assessed via a physical examination. Moreover, manipulation of masses inside the body, such as repositioning a baby in utero, is difficult to teach without patients for trainees to learn and practice on. To overcome these problems, a realistic physical simulator that can replicate various cases of patients while safely interacting with users is required.
The central aim of this collaboration is to explore soft robotics approaches to physical
examination simulation, with an emphasis on using hardness and shape changing haptic
interfaces to create interactive models of lumps and movable masses. Soft robotics is a
growing field offering controllable devices with a similar feel to human tissue, making it
appealing for medical simulators. Medical simulation is a well-established adjunct to clinical
skills training with a vital role in ensuring medical students and doctors can adequately and
accurately perform a range of procedures and examinations.
The SiMMS and HeRo labs are natural partners whose combined expertise is well suited to
develop such technology. Both groups have a research focus on medical robotics, with the
core engineering research pioneered at the HeRo lab being complemented by the SiMMS
group’s emphasis on clinical applications of robotics and haptics. In the proposed
collaboration, the HeRo lab will provide access to their manufacturing and testing equipment, allowing for the development of soft robotic systems, while the SiMMS lab will make available their extensive suite of medical models and XR headsets, together with a well-established network of clinical partners located close to the group’s base at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital."