Supervisors

To improve arthroscopic skills, the orthopaedic residents trains on medical simulators and cadaveric training courses. Some medical simulators provide feedback while cadaveric specimen are most realistic training environments. Provid-ing objective feedback while training on cadaveric speci-men, will be an major improvement to the cadaveric training courses. The goal of this project is to develop a system that allows objective force feedback during arthroscopic skills training on cadaveric specimen. Therefore an analysis of the proce-dure is made, a theoretical model is set up and from mul-tiple concepts a 6DOF force sensor method is chosen. We developed a 6DOF force platform “Force Measurement Ta-ble”(FMT), which measures forces and torques in the range of 0-750N, with an accuracy of ±0.32N. The FMT was cali-brated, and shows well able to distinguish two statically pro-vided independent forces. A pilot study with two interme-diates shows a significant difference between the average of forces exerted by the arthroscope (2.4±1.2N) and the instru-ment with arthroscope (4.5 ±2.4N).Indicating the deviations of force during navigation rounds are mostly exerted to the specimen by the probing instrument. The technology of the FMT, shows high potential for the use of force measurements during cadaveric training courses. For exact dynamical mea-surements, a accurate tracking system needs to added to the FMT.