The point collocation-based method of finite spheres (PCMFS) for real time surgery simulation

Simulation based medical training requires real time interactivity. While real time graphical display requires an update rate of 30 Hz, real time force feedback requires a much higher update rate of 1 kHz. The demand for extreme computational efficiency delimits the complexity of the computational models that can be used for simulation. In this paper we develop two specializations of a meshfree technique, the point collocation-based method of finite spheres (PCMFS), for real time simulation of soft tissues during minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Simulations using realistic three-dimensional geometries are presented and are compared with solutions using more traditional finite element methods in terms of speed and accuracy. The integration of the proposed schemes into a practical surgical simulation system is also discussed.