A haptic enabled virtual reality framework for orthopedic surgical training and interventions

Modern technological innovations have led to the development of virtual-reality based systems that are gaining importance in the field of medicine due to their potential advantages over conventional approaches. These systems can offer safe and viable environments for surgical training, skills enhancement, and also assist clinicians during different stages of treatment. Despite several advancements in this field, the availability of virtual-reality systems especially for patientcentric training and complex invasive surgical procedures remains elusive as a majority of the currently available systems are geared towards minimally invasive surgery or utilize nonpatient specific models. In this paper, we present a new software framework, RoboPlan, that integrates several components, ranging from patient-specific anatomic models to intra-operative navigation and haptics, in an attempt to overcome some of the constraints present in the available systems and bridge the gaps between pre-operative simulator systems and actual intra-operative surgical scenarios. Our framework incorporates various custom modules that enable advanced visualizations and immersive experiences. The proposed system can serve as an effective tool for anatomy training, surgical planning, diagnosis, and real-time intra-operative surgical guidance. We aim to extend the presented framework to facilitate realistic training in invasive interventions in specialties like orthopedic surgery that involves complex musculoskeletal structures and mechanical instruments.