Haptic Feedback Systems in Medical Education

Abstract: This paper brings into discussion some of the most relevant technological challenges involving haptic systems in medical education. One of these challenges is choosing the suitable haptic hardware, API or framework for developing a visuo-haptic e-Learning system. The decision is based on several criteria such as the multimodal resources needed by the software system, compatibility with haptic devices and the dynamic configuration of the scene. Another challenge is related to the software system reactivity in conjunction with the user's actions. The immediate haptic feedback from the virtual models, together with the synchronization of the rendered haptic and visual cues seen by the users are essential for enhancing the user's learning ability. Visuo-haptic simulation facilitates accurate training scenarios of medical protocols and surgical processes.