Design and Development of a Real-Time Virtual Bariatric Endoscopic Simulator with Haptic Feedback

Abstract

Virtual Bariatric Endoscopy (ViBE) simulator is designed for Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG), a minimally invasive bariatric procedure. While virtual simulators exist for bariatric surgeries, there has been a lack of ESG-specific tools. The ViBE simulator fills this gap by providing a cost-effective alternative to physical models and enhancing ESG training. The simulator consists of three main components: software simulation, hardware, and a hardware interface linking the two. The software focuses on ESG techniques like marking, suturing, and tissue-pulling, with an algorithm for suturing and soft-body physics simulations. The simulator features two human-computer interfaces: one using USB-HID protocol with optical encoders and ARM Cortex M7 devices, and another using computer vision for delicate instruments. The computer vision interface simplifies mechanical design. Performance tests showed an average of 55 FPS, with render times between 2ms and 4ms and solver times between 16ms and 18ms. The end-to-end delay was under 75ms, and haptic feedback forces updated every 1ms. The ViBE simulator aims to improve ESG training and suturing techniques, demonstrating its potential as an effective learning tool with efficient software performance and minimal hardware latency.