Robotic surgery simulator support, vision system and test subject

The purpose of this project is to create a robotic surgery simulator to demonstrate the benefits of robotic surgery. Robotic surgery is increasingly being used as a replacement for traditional keyhole laparoscopy. For robotic surgery, extensive training is required. Our robotic surgery simulator demonstrates the advantages of robotic surgery inexpensively. As part of this project, a bearing support system is developed which allows for the simulator to rotate with free lubricated motion while preventing excess jitter. The simulator includes a vision system and a manikin test subject. A vision system allows for knowledgeable maneuverability underneath the surface layer. Integration of the vision system adds a third moving arm to control. The vision system is designed to avoid interference with controlling the robot arm. A test subject is used to represent the patient and provides challenging tasks to demonstrate the benefits of robotic surgery.