There are relatively few companies pushing the field of VR-based medical education. However, a company named FundamentalVR is changing the virtual reality and medical scene with the launch of it’s remote training platform Fundamental Surgery. This London-based technology startup has already established itself in just two short years as one of the leading providers of virtual reality-based surgical simulations for university students and professionals. It offers users an easier and more effective way of maintaining and developing the skills vital to perform effectively and accurately during an operation.
The Fundamental Surgery platform employs a unique combination of haptic technology and hardware-agnostic software, allowing it to simulate a hyper-realistic sense of touch when users are performing surgical procedures for students to develop muscle memory to properly operate when they get to the real thing. Theplatform is compatible with any laptop, VR headset or haptic device, cutting down costs substantially. Additionally, Fundamental Surgery’s remote data analytics and data dashboard covering surgical skills and knowledge provide invaluable insight into surgical capability and education progression.
As previously mentioned, Fundamental Surgery features HapticVR, which adds a real-time sense of touch to the overall simulation experience. Users are able to feel the movement and interaction of tissue, muscle, and bone as they would in an actual surgical procedure with ultra-realistic resistance capabilities. The platform also features a library of tools and tissue variants that mimic calibrated realistic sensations that were developed by a team of leading surgeons.
All in all, this cutting-edge platform is a new pathway for aspiring surgeons to learn and hone their skills by using a combination of virtual reality and tactile feedback that develops muscle memory associated with different surgical procedures.
Currently, the Fundamental Surgery platform is being employed at the Mayo Clinic, UCLA, UCLH, and St. George’s Hospital in London. FundamentalVR is currently leading and instituting change in the medical industry by intertwining it with cutting-edge technology, but who knows what’s in store in the future?
Authored by Vishruth Bharath
Melnick, Kyle, and Kyle Melnick. “Hands-On With FundamentalVR's Surgical Training Platform.” VRScout, 28 Mar. 2021, vrscout.com/news/hands-on-fundamentalvr-surgical-training-platform/.
Pennic, Fred. “Fundamental Surgery Becomes First VR Surgical Training Simulation to Gain CPD Accreditation.” Healthcare IT News, 22 Apr. 2019, hitconsultant.net/2019/04/22/fundamental-surgery-vr-surgical-training-simulation-cpd-accreditation/#.YGVGtEhKidY.