Vr training improves robot guidewire control and feedback in vascular navigation
A VR Training System for Robot-Assisted Vascular Intervention with Dual-Mode Control and Model-Based Interaction Response
Robotics
Summary
Training doctors to use robots for blood vessel procedures is tricky because they need to feel how the robotic tool interacts inside vessels. The authors created a virtual reality system that lets users practice controlling a robotic guidewire, with realistic feedback about how it bends and touches vessel walls. They combined two ways of controlling the robot and a way to estimate interactions without extra sensors. Tests showed that after training in VR, beginners performed better and faster on physical tasks, suggesting this system can help improve skills safely.
What this means in practice
- •For medical device trainers: Deliver hands-on training for robotic vascular procedures using a VR system that simulates realistic guidewire control and vessel interactions to improve user skills.
- •For robotic surgery developers: Develop dual-mode control and sensorless interaction feedback for robotic vascular intervention tools to enhance operator precision and safety.
Authors
Yining Shang, Shuxiang Guo, Sheng Cao, Pengcheng Li, Bin Wang, Mingchao Ding
Abstract
Virtual reality training for robot-assisted vascular intervention requires accurate robotic control and effective feedback on guidewire--vessel interactions. This paper presents a VR training system combining asynchronous dual-mode command mapping with sensorless interaction estimation. The system supports velocity-controlled navigation and position-driven incremental manipulation. Guidewire deformation and a Hunt--Crossley-type contact response are combined and temporally filtered to estimate interaction intensity, while trajectory-based visualization supports post-procedure review. Tests confirmed distinct command-dispatch patterns across three velocity gears and the position mode. During hybrid-scene navigation, the estimated response remained low during straight insertion and increased as the guidewire bent within the vascular model. Trajectory analysis yielded a model-derived cumulative trauma work (CTW) value of 15.166 in normalized units and localized regions of elevated interaction. In a preliminary study with 15 novices, physical-phantom task success increased from 53.3% to 93.3% after VR training, while mean completion time decreased from 132.4 s to 96.7 s. These results demonstrate the system's dual-mode operation, deformation-sensitive feedback, and potential to improve subsequent physical-phantom task performance.