Simulation of Deformation in Models of Human Organs Using Physical Parameters

Simulating the deformation of human tissue during medical procedures that employ needles is important for representing the tissue´s elastic behavior, thus providing visual realism to simulated medical training. This article presents a method for simulating the deformation of three-dimensional objects that represent human organs through many tissue layers, in which the following physical parameters are included: modulus of elasticity, girth and density. The use of layers allows for the attribution of physical parameters for each type of tissue that composes a specific organ. Furthermore, it is possible to employ some layers to simulate visual appearance of the deformation and others just to simulate tissue resistance when the needle is inserted. Experiments designed to validate this method were performed in a Virtual Reality Framework for puncture procedures. The results were satisfactory compared to the time of response, which was found to be suitable for haptic interaction. Consequently, it was possible to simulate human tissue deformation with the appropriate visual realism and haptic realism for medical training.