Creating realistic force sensations in a virtual environment: experimental system, fundamental issues and results

Force feedback devices for use in virtual reality have been the design, which enable the user to interact with the virtual environment in real-time. We have developed a virtual environment for lumbar puncture, a widely used medical technique involving the insertion of a 3 inch long needle in the spinal region of a patient involving real-time 3D display of the spinal region and real-time force feedback. The trainee can insert a specialized joystick needle in a virtual spine and simultaneously “feel” a realistic force response, matching the real procedure. Our goal is to be able to control the motor such that the whole system “feels” like a needle penetrating the human tissue. In order to create a realistic simulation involving force feedback we show how force feedback theory can be applied to our virtual environment