Applications of Virtual Reality in Surgical Technology and Education - The second year program

數十年來科技的進步改變人類的生活，也進化了醫療的方式。然而，外科教育和訓練學生的方法卻仍停留在百年前「每次探視一位病患，幫一位病患動手術，並教導一位學生」的師徒相授模式。在凡事講究成本效益以及病患安全的現代社會，舊有的教學方式正面臨前所未有的挑戰。此外，手術方式及設備不斷推陳出新，也迫使醫師必須借助更有效率的方法來訓練自己。虛擬實境模擬訓練器的出現，使得上述外科醫療及教學的困境出現解決的可能。 虛擬實境是以電腦科技為基礎的模擬訓練系統，學習者可以在事先預設好的環境下，反覆練習手術的技巧，熟悉有興趣的器官結構，等技術純熟後再應用到病患身上。這樣可以增加學習效率，減少在實際病患操作時的錯誤和生疏情形。虛擬實境的技術於醫療領域中，不僅應用在教學上，最近更有學者利用虛擬實境的產品作為腦性麻痺患者的復建工具。除了手術技巧及教學的訓練外，虛擬實境在醫療方面的應用還包含解剖學教學、術前計畫、遠距醫療、以及復健等。隨著電腦計算能力的提升和價格的下降，虛擬實境將愈來愈逼近真實，對未來人類的生活及外科醫療教育也會有更深遠的影響。 在去年的計畫，本研究團隊在國科會支持下，於民國92年度研發完成3D立體虛擬支氣管鏡檢查系統（包含支氣管內視鏡影像製作、支氣管鏡導覽系統、互動式支氣管鏡檢查系統、病患病症模擬系統、產品之專家評估及學生測試），並於92年台灣外科醫學年會中試用，獲得廣泛回響。93年度本研究團隊繼續在國科會支持下，已經開發完成3D立體虛擬胃鏡檢查系統與虛擬大腸鏡檢查系統（包含食道、胃、及十二指腸與大腸內壁內壁黏膜之軟體圖像、胃鏡與大腸鏡導覽系統、互動式胃鏡與大腸鏡檢查系統、病患病症模擬系統、產品之專家評估及學生測試）、虛擬支氣管鏡檢查系統之三維控制器（包含支氣管鏡及模擬病患之硬體模型）、上肢與顏面虛擬骨骼與肌肉教學系統（包含3D立體骨骼與肌肉解剖圖、骨骼與肌肉教學系統）。Technological advances during the past several decades have dramatically changed the ways in which we conduct our daily activities and practice of medicine. However, our methods of training and teaching remain mired in the 100-year-old apprenticeship model with the principle of “see one, do one, teach one”. This system of surgical education is facing many challenges in terms of time efficiency, costs, and safety of patient. In addition, as new types of operations are developed rapidly, practicing surgeons may find needs for more efficient methods of surgical skill training. One of the solutions to these problems is the development of virtual reality (VR) training simulators. VR means computer-based simulation system, has achieved long and successful use in the fields of military and aerospace industry. With VR training simulators, the learner can practice difficult procedures under a well-controlled situation, explore the structures of interest repeatedly, and then move on to practice in a real patient. In addition to surgical technology and education, computer-based VR simulators were also widely applied in the fields of anatomy education, preoperative planning, telemedicine, and rehabilitation. As the computing power will continue to become faster and cheaper, VR simulator will become more real, and play important roles in our daily life and surgical education. In the last two year, our research team had developed a 3D virtual bronchoscopy examination system. This product was shown on the annual meeting of Taiwan Surgical Association, and responded by a lot of attention and appreciation. Based on this achievement, we would like to spend one more year to construct immersive digital automation system (IDAS), interactive VR endoscopic examination system, and VR endoscopic operation system