A 6DOF Interaction Method for the Virtual Training of Minimally Invasive Access to the Spine

Minimally invasive procedures become increasingly popular due to their potential advantages. The correct choice of access to the operation area is essential for a safe and successful surgery. Besides traditional training options (e.g. cadaver-based,) virtual training systems gain importance due to their flexibility and cost efficiency. We developed a novel 3D interaction method to improve the understanding of the placement and orientation of the instrument for minimally invasive access (syringe needle or dilator) to the spine. In a virtual 3D scene of a patient’s spine anatomy the trainee defines a straight trajectory, placing the virtual instrument with a haptic 6DOF phantom device in three steps. Haptic material properties and constraints support the single interaction tasks. We do not aim to simulate the handling of real instruments. keywords: 3D interaction, 6DOF, haptic feedback, constraints, minimally invasive access trajectory, training