The Effectiveness of Commercial Haptic Devices for Use in Virtual Needle Insertion Training Simulations

A needle insertion is a widely performed procedure used either to inject fluids, to retrieve samples or as an introducing conduit for more advanced procedures.Needle insertions, like most medical procedures, pose an inherent risk of complication to the patient. This risk has prompted the development of a variety of haptic training simulators to aid in the education of practitioners before they attempt needle procedures upon a human. A common trend in needle insertion simulation is to use and possibly modify pre-existing commercial haptic solutions,saving on development cost and time. This study reviews current needle inserting simulations, focusing on the haptic hardware solutions used. Five commercially available haptic devices (SensAble Technologies Omni,Desktop and Premium 1.5 6 DOF, Novint´s Falcon and Mimics Mantis), are then tested to evaluate their effectiveness for use in needle insertion simulations. A conclusion is drawn, with advice for those producing needle insertion simulation solutions.