Prostate Tumor Palpation Simulator Based on Pneumatic and Augmented Haptics

In this project, we focus on building a prostate palpation simulator where a practitioner teaches his/herself a process called Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). While conventional mock-up-based training simulators can only provide a fixed number of abnormal conditions, our simulator is capable of creating various prostate abnormalities ranged from a single small tumor to multiple larger tumors, with comparable fidelity and realism. For this, we have developed a new prostate-shaped end-effector that systematically changes the its shape and stiffness using pneumatic and particle jamming techniques with embedded balloon. At current stage, seven pores are embedded in the silicone prostate mockup, so a medical practitioner can perceive tumors with wide range of stiffness, position, and number.