At MMVR Sensable Showcases Touch-Enabling Innovations In Medical Simulation 

Stanford’s “Virtual Body Doubles” for Surgical Rehearsal, Gynecological Simulator
Attest to the Transformative Power of Haptics forMedical Training

WILMINGTON MA   February 8, 2011 – Sensable will showcase innovative Touch Enabled medical simulation and practice applications created by its customers using Sensable’s  Phantom® force feedback haptic devices and OpenHaptics® software toolkit at the Medicine Meets Virtual Reality (MMVR) event in Newport Beach, California starting today.   As medical education embraces advanced simulation to better train the next generation of clinicians, Sensable and its customers show how adding the sense of touch can turn static computer-based learning into highly realistic training experiences whose realism make them appropriate for clinical skills building and competency testing – with zero risk to patients. 

WHERE: Medicine Meets Virtual Reality 2011 Conference, Newport Beach, CA
WHAT:   Sensable Haptic Device Customer Application Demonstrations
WHEN:   Tuesday, Feb 8 through Friday, Feb 11 during conference hours 
Applications on display at MMR include:

• Patient-Specific Inner Ear Surgery Rehearsal, created by Stanford  University's BioRobotics Laboratory, the subject of soon to be released peer-reviewed paper.  As with their lab's sinus surgery simulation-based rehearsal program, Stanford's tympanomastoidectomy simulator incorporates data from the actual patient anatomy, derived from the information in merged CT and MRI scans.  This allows ear-nose-throat surgeons to better prepare for an upcoming case.  The real-time interactive simulation enables surgeons to visually and haptically navigate a virtualized representation of their patient's unique   anatomy.  This allows them to explore different approaches to, and exposure of, key portions of the patient's pathology and surround tissues.  In providing high-quality force (haptic) feedback and visual information, the doctor can see and feel the patient's anatomical variations in advance of the actual performance.  The simulator uses Sensable's Phantom™ force feedback haptic devices, and Sensable  OpenHaptics® software toolkit with its QuickHaptics® microAPI.
• Gynecological procedure simulator, created by UK Haptics under license to a major healthcare provider and the subject of a forthcoming British Medical Journal paper.  The gynecological simulator provides OB-GYNs and maternal care clinicians with intensive practice on the exact “feeling” of over 12 realistic gynecological scenarios they are likely to encounter during a procedure with the healthcare provider’s device.  The simulator– offers limitless practice in a risk-free environment. 
• Medical Core Skills Trainer, created by award-winning UK educator Dr. Sarah Baillie, inventor of the “Haptic Cow” veterinary simulator, from the Royal Veterinary College, London in partnership with Sensable partner SenseGraphics. The Core Skills Trainer uses haptics to teach key dexterity and perceptual skills that are common to all health professions, such as abdominal palpation, breast and rectal exams, but that can only be learned by feeling.
• ScanTrainer Transvaginal Ultrasound Training Module, created by MedaPhor of Cardiff, Wales using H3DAPI, an application programming interface (API) from SenseGraphics.  ScanTrainer replicates the experience of examining a normal and retroverted uterus, and teaches the core ultrasound examination skills, without the need for a patient to ‘learn’ on.

In addition SensAble will display a specialized version of one of its most popular Phantom haptic devices that separate the base from the force-feedback arm - a form factor that offers more flexibility for OEMs, particularly those creating medical simulators.

About Sensable

Founded in 1993, Sensable remains the leading developer of touch-enabled solutions and technology that allow users to not only see and hear an on-screen computer application, but to actually “feel” it.  With 44 patents granted and over 9,000 systems installed worldwide, Sensable helps people innovate with human touch solutions.  The company’s Sensable Dental division provides the Intellifit™ Digital Restoration System, while Sensable also sells a suite of 3D design solutions that includes its flagship product, Freeform®, and the Phantom® and Omni™ lines of haptic devices, used in surgical simulation and planning, stroke rehabilitation and medical training, as well as a range of research and robotic applications.  With an unparalleled commitment to partnering with customers, Sensable brings a human touch to innovating and implementing customer-centric solutions.  Sensable products are available through direct and reseller channels worldwide.  www.Sensable.com.

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Freeform, Intellifit, Omni, OpenHaptics, Phantom, Sensable and Sensable Technologies, Inc. are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sensable Technologies, Inc.  H3DAPI is a trademark of Sensegraphics.  Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective holders.