VIRTUAL OPERATING THEATRE
The models used in the application are an exact representation of a real operating theatre located in the Education and Medical Simulation Centre in Katowice, along with its full equipment. Several figures were designed, both in the form of mannequins and patient models, giving them natural body movements and facial expressions. The application has several scenarios that can be implemented by a participant in a simulation, e.g. connecting electrodes to the appropriate spots on the patient's body, administering oxygen, performing intubation, checking the reaction of the pupils, auscultating the chest with feedback in the form of sounds (murmurs). Currently, the application is used by students in selected classes to learn about the equipment of the operating room and basic simulation procedures.
The project of the Virtual Operating Theatre will be equipped with elements of gamification with the possibility of scoring and measuring the time of tasks carried out simultaneously by many students and then comparing the results and analysis. The next stage of work aims to extend the functionality of the application with the possibility of participants operating in cooperation. The application will also work on computers not equipped with a VR set, and the user will operate with a keyboard and mouse. This solution will make it possible to use the existing computer labs, and thus increase the availability of the application.
Currently, the application is used by students in selected classes to learn about the equipment of the operating theatre and basic simulation procedures.
The system aims to enable taking practice tests in virtual reality.
VIRTUAL DENTIST’S ROOM
The task of the student (user) is to prepare an appropriate set of tools to perform a procedure in the field of dentistry specified by the teacher. Putting on glasses, one can use appropriate controllers to pull out and move selected tools, and then prepare them following the procedure adopted in the dentist’s room.
The final choice is assessed by the teacher, and the feedback includes confirmation of correct performance, an indication of possible errors, as well as the measurement of the task completion time. The student also can control the lighting of the working field on the dental chair, thanks to which he acquires the necessary manual skills to quickly and correctly set the dental lamp.
Currently, advanced work on this project is underway, involving a significant extension of its functionality. This stage provides maximum emphasis on user interaction with the patient, using the appropriate dental tools.
- visualisation of the patient's dentition,
- visual analysis of the patient's occlusal surfaces using a dental mirror,
- analysis of the surface of individual teeth to identify pathological changes at every level - from small, non-cavitated lesions, to the absence of a tooth or its partial loss,
- assessment of the presence of dental deposits (calculus and plaque), prosthetic restorations (e.g. crowns, bridges),
- performing an intraoral examination with a teeth diagram.
In the further stages of implementation, the project will enable the assessment of the condition of the oral mucosa by placing lesions on the screen in the form of e.g. impetigo, viral diseases, etc. In the next stage, when the teacher checks the correctness or incorrectness of the performed test (diagram), it will be possible to move the controller over the incorrectly diagnosed tooth, remove it from the arch, e.g. along with the root and rotate it from different sides to find the pathology.
3D PRINTING IN DENTISTRY
To meet the expectations of students and teaching staff, which in our opinion will contribute to minimising the occurrence of this type of dangerous event, 3D models of phantom teeth have been developed that are fully compatible with dental units that are equipped with the Medical Simulation Centre in Zabrze. The pattern of the models allows for taking into account pathological changes, i.e. cavities, irregularities in the structure or shape of individual teeth. The teacher will have previously consulted material in the form of 3D teeth prepared for each practice session, giving the student unprecedented opportunities to acquire knowledge as close as possible to the real needs in contact with the future patient.
By using prepared models for classes, various thematic aspects can be taken into account, enabling implementation in subgroups depending, for example, on the type of defect, disease, or tooth structure. The availability of this type of exercise material will make it easier for teachers to objectively assess the student's work and determine the degree of his/her preparation for clinical classes. The developed models were adapted to the modification of pathological changes with the use of available software by dental technicians depending on the demand for subsequent thematic classes. All modifications can be downloaded from the database and prepared models of pathological lesions, but also made by the user himself. In addition, models of milk teeth were designed, also taking into account pathological changes, along with appropriate stable attachment to existing dental units. The models will expand practical skills in the field of dentistry of developmental age.
Thanks to the optimisation of models for 3D printing, the dental assistant and lecturer can print individually designed models and prepare an educational base for classes. The use of dental models along with the database of modifications significantly expands the educational opportunities in the field of practical skills for both students studying medicine and dentistry, and in the future enables them to carry classes during specialisation courses. An additional advantage of using the designed solution is the cost of obtaining ready-made materials for practical classes, definitely lower than the previous costs of purchasing ready-made models and phantom teeth.
