Development of a Software Platform Based on Haptic Device for Surgery Simulators

Haptic devices are used in a variety of virtual reality applications in order to allow user interaction with virtual objects. These devices transfer user comments such as rotations, transitions or deformations to the virtual environment and also transfer any reactions such as force feedback to the user. The force feedback which user receives is actually considered as feeling of touch. In this work, we developed a user interface software suitable for haptic interactions. We also developed an embedded software to drive haptic device for generating realistic force feedback. Developed software traces the tip of the medical tool (attached to the haptic device) and determines any possible collision. Based on the depth of the collision the algorithm calculates the deformations on the organs and the force feedback for haptic device. The algorithm drives the three motors (one for each axes) on a haptic device to generate the necessary torque for realistic feelings of touch. The developed user interface is responsible for communications between haptic device and virtual environment, for running haptic and simulation loops and for updating and visualization of the virtual scene. We successfully applied to develop user interface software and embedded software to a surgical simulator, where the user can manipulate and deform virtual organs and can feel any reactions from the scene.