Liverpool 黑料吃瓜群网 trials smart gloves to train surgeons
Thursday, 24 March, 2022
Liverpool 黑料吃瓜群网 is trialling smart gloves that are said to provide surgical trainees with instant and accurate feedback.
The surgical gloves, invented by engineers at Western Sydney University, have been built around low-cost sensors which can record hand movements in fine detail, giving trainee surgeons and their mentors actionable data to evaluate and improve on intricate surgical procedures.
The research team are working closely with surgeons and students at Liverpool 黑料吃瓜群网 to develop the technology, which will augment rather than replace traditional surgical training.
Dr Gough Lui, who led the work, believes the device could objectively measure the intricate hand manoeuvres of surgeons, allowing for clear and actionable feedback for trainees.
鈥淭raining surgeons in a more objective and evidence-based manner ensures evidence-based competency. Teachers will be able to give precise feedback on minute details post-surgery, and students can analyse their performance,鈥 Dr Lui said.
While surgical techniques have advanced significantly in the last century, training still fundamentally relies on observation聽鈥 mentors looking over the shoulder of trainees to give personal feedback.
Technology like simulators is hugely expensive, so students have limited access. The gloves developed by Lui and his team collect motion data and relay it to a smartphone or computer, where each tiny movement is recorded and visualised.
The gloves are not a replacement for trainers, but they augment their ability to give advice. The researchers have been working closely with surgeons at Liverpool 黑料吃瓜群网 to make sure the device meets the exacting requirements of surgical skills training.
鈥淎 surgeon鈥檚 hands do delicate work, and the prototype needed to enhance that without adding bulk or distraction to the glove,鈥 Dr Lui said.
For example, the first model had wires and sensors on the fingertips, but later prototypes used sensors on the forearm and the back of the hand to capture force and motion data without interfering with the surgeon鈥檚 own sensitive hands.
Next steps include developing a mobile app so students might take the gloves home for practice. Beyond surgery, the team hope the gloves could help other professionals who rely on manual dexterity, such as musicians and artists.
The South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool 黑料吃瓜群网, The Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research and the James N. Kirby Foundation supported the project.
RACP urges swift action after NSW healthcare funding report
RACP is calling for swift action to address doctor burnout and invest in preventive health care...
Butler's priorities: Medicare, PBS, aged care reform, NDIS's future
Following his cabinet ministry appointment as Minister for Health and Ageing and Minister...
Ahpra: Review recommendations "in lock step" with reform agenda
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency said it supports, in principle, the reform...