A Virtual Reality Training System for the Triage and Stabilization of Head Trauma and Multiple Injury Patients

Abstract : Rapid and effective intervention for medical emergencies sustained on the battlefield, while rendering humanitarian service, or in a chemically/biologically contaminated environment is crucial for saving lives and limiting long-term disability. Inexperienced providers may suffer in performance when faced with limited supplies and the demands of stabilizing casualties never encountered back home in the comparatively resource-rich hospital setting. Head trauma and multiple injury cases are particularly complex to diagnose and treat, requiring the integration and processing of complex multi modal data. In this project, collaborators adapted and merged existing technologies to produce a flexible, modular patient simulation system with both three- dimensional virtual reality and two-dimensional flat screen user interfaces for teaching cognitive assessment and treatment skills. This experiential, problem-based training approach engages the user in a stress-filled, high-fidelity world, providing multiple, tailored learning opportunities within a compressed period of time and without risk. The system simulates both the dynamic State of the patient and the results of user intervention, enabling trainees to watch the virtual patient deteriorate or stabilize as a result of their decision-making speed and accuracy. Systems can be deployed to the field enabling trainees to practice repeatedly until their skills are mastered and to maintain those skills once acquired.

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