Medical palpation of deformable tissue using physics-based model for haptic interface robot (HIRO)

Medical education has a strong need for palpation training. Haptic sense is indispensable for the detection of subsurface tumor. A virtual reality (VR) training for breast palpation simulation was created utilizing the newly designed multi-fingered haptic interface robot (HIRO). The simulation allows the user to perform breast palpation. A realistic model of the breast was developed and a physically based modeling is achieved by using a finite element method (FEM) that provides correct reaction forces and deformations of a virtual deformable object. A VR medical application system for breast palpation using HIRO was developed and examined in a real-time experiment.