Augmented virtuality platform for usability evaluation of a novel endoscope concept

Abstract

The endoscope is a key component of minimally invasive surgery, and several methods for improving the traditional rigid endoscope have been proposed. These generally increase the complexity of the endoscope, and thus the feasibility of operation of such devices should be ensured through user testing in an environment that closely resembles the real use scenario. We present an augmented virtuality endoscopy simulator that can be used for evaluating virtual endoscope concepts. We achieve this by having the operator of the endoscope hold a physical object resembling the prototype, and through operating the physical object, have a virtual version displayed through a head-mounted display behave accordingly. We evaluate the system through implementing a previously proposed novel articulated endoscope. The system allows for usability evaluation of endoscopes in a setting closely resembling that of the real surgical room without the need for constructing a working physical prototype, potentially saving costs and allowing for quicker prototyping of novel endoscope concepts.