The virtual haptic back for palpatory training

This paper discusses the Ohio University Virtual Haptic Back (VHB) project, including objectives, implementation, and initial evaluations. Haptics is the science of human tactile sensation and a haptic interface provides force and touch feedback to the user from virtual reality. Our multimodal VHB simulation combines high-fidelity computer graphics with haptic feedback and aural feedback to augment training in palpatory diagnosis in osteopathic medicine, plus related training applications in physical therapy, massage therapy, chiropractic therapy, and other tactile fields. We use the PHANToM haptic interface to provide position interactions by the trainee, with accompanying force feedback to simulate the back of a live human subject in real-time. Our simulation is intended to add a measurable, repeatable component of science to the art of palpatory diagnosis. Based on our experiences in the lab to date, we believe that haptics-augmented computer models have great potential for improvi...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2004
• Where: ICMI
• Authors: Robert L. Williams II, Mayank Srivastava, John N. Howell, Robert R. Conatser Jr., David C. Eland, Janet M. Burns, Anthony G. Chila
• Keywords: Haptic Interface, ICMI 2004, Palpatory Diagnosis, Virtual Haptic Back