Medical training systems and methods

1. A simulation system comprising:

a data processing unit;

a display in communication with the data processing unit; and

a physical model comprising:

an anatomy model;

a tool;

a position and orientation sensor configured and positioned to sense a position of the physical model, an orientation of the physical model, or a combination thereof; and

a calibration unit configured to store calibration data associated with the position and orientation sensor and the physical model; and

the data processing unit is configured to:

identify the physical model based on the calibration data and propose a choice of simulation scenarios based on the identification, each simulation scenario comprising a virtual reality (VR) model or an augmented reality (AR) model;

receive a selection of one of the simulation scenarios from a user;

receive data from the position and orientation sensor indicating the position of the physical model, the orientation of the physical model, or a combination thereof;

receive the calibration data from the calibration unit indicating a position of the position and orientation sensor relative to the physical model, an orientation of the position and orientation sensor relative to the physical model, or a combination thereof;

generate the VR model or AR model associated with the selected simulation scenario using the data from the position and orientation sensor and the calibration data from the calibration unit; and

render the VR model or AR model to the display.

2. The simulation system of claim 1 , wherein the physical model comprises a fixed portion, and wherein the position and orientation sensor is attached to the fixed portion of the physical model.

3. The simulation system of claim 1 , wherein the VR model or AR model comprises a virtual image.

4. The simulation system of claim 3 , wherein the data processing unit is configured to combine the virtual image with an actual image to form an augmented reality image.

5. The simulation system of claim 1 , wherein:

the physical model comprises a plurality of position and orientation sensors; and

the data processing unit is configured to:

receive data from each of the plurality of position and orientation sensors indicating a position of each of the position and orientation sensors relative to the physical model, an orientation of each of the position and orientation sensors relative to the physical model, or a combination thereof; and

generate the VR model or AR model using the data from each of the plurality of position and orientation sensors and the calibration data from the calibration unit.

6. The simulation system of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of position and orientation sensors is substantially identical.

7. The simulation system of claim 5 , wherein the physical model comprises a movable part, and at least one of the plurality of position and orientation sensors is disposed in the movable part.

8. The simulation system of claim 5 , wherein the data processing unit is further configured to weigh the data from each of the plurality of position and orientation sensors in accordance with the data reliability.

9. The simulation system of claim 1 , further comprising a mount configured to accept the physical model.

10. The simulation system of claim 1 , further comprising a tracking unit in communication with the data processing unit, the tracking unit configured to receive the data from the position and orientation sensor and transmit the data from the position and orientation sensor to the data processing unit.

11. The simulation system of claim 1 , wherein the position and orientation sensor is a magnetic sensor.

12. The simulation system of claim 11 , further comprising a magnetic sensor transmitter unit configured to generate a magnetic field detectable by the position and orientation sensor.

13. The simulation system of claim 1 , wherein the display is a touchscreen display.

14. The simulation system of claim 1 , further comprising a cart to which the display is attached.

15. The simulation system of claim 1 , wherein the data processing unit is configured to propose the choice of simulation scenarios using the data from the position and orientation sensor in addition to the calibration data from the calibration unit.

16. The simulation system of claim 15 , wherein the data processing unit is configured to display the choice of simulation scenarios on the display.

17. The simulation system of claim 15 , wherein the data processing unit is configured to generate a VR model or AR model corresponding to the physical model using the data from the position and orientation sensor, the calibration data from the calibration unit, and the selected simulation scenario.

18. The simulation system of claim 1 , wherein:

the tool comprises:

a tool position and orientation sensor configured to sense a position of the tool, an orientation of the tool, or a combination thereof; and

a tool calibration unit configured to store calibration data associated with the tool position and orientation sensor and the tool; and

the data processing unit is configured to:

receive data from the tool position and orientation sensor indicating the position of the tool, the orientation of the tool, or a combination thereof;

receive the calibration data from the tool calibration unit indicating a position of the tool position and orientation sensor relative to the tool, an orientation of the tool position and orientation sensor relative to the tool, or a combination thereof;

generate a tool virtual image corresponding to the tool using the data from the tool position and orientation sensor and the calibration data from the tool calibration unit; and

render the tool virtual image to the display.

19. The simulation system of claim 18 , wherein the position and orientation sensor and the tool position and orientation sensor are substantially identical.

20. The simulation system of claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises a surgical tool.

21. The simulation system of claim 18 , further comprising a tracking unit in communication with the data processing unit, the tracking unit configured to receive the data from the tool position and orientation sensor and transmit the data from the tool position and orientation sensor to the data processing unit.

22. The simulation system of claim 18 , wherein the tool position and orientation sensor is a magnetic sensor.

23. The simulation system of claim 18 , wherein the data processing unit is configured to propose the choice of simulation scenarios using the data from the tool position and orientation sensor in addition to the calibration data from the tool calibration unit.

24. The simulation system of claim 23 , wherein the data processing unit is configured to display the choice of simulation scenarios on the display.

25. The simulation system of claim 23 , wherein the data processing unit is configured to generate a tool virtual image corresponding to the tool using the data from the tool position and orientation sensor, the calibration data from the tool calibration unit, and the selected simulation scenario.

26. A simulation method comprising:

receiving, with a data processing unit, calibration data from a calibration unit indicating a position of a position and orientation sensor relative to a physical model, an orientation of a position and orientation sensor relative to a physical model, or a combination thereof, wherein the physical model comprises an anatomy model, a tool, the position and orientation sensor, and the calibration unit;

identifying, with the data processing unit, the physical model based on the calibration data and propose a choice of simulation scenarios based on the identification, each simulation scenario comprising a virtual reality (VR) model or an augmented reality (AR) model;

receiving, with the data processing unit, a selection of one of the simulation scenarios from a user;

receiving, with the data processing unit, data from the position and orientation sensor indicating a position of the physical model, an orientation of the physical model, or a combination thereof;

generating, with the data processing unit, the VR model or AR model associated with the selected simulation scenario using the data from the position and orientation sensor and the calibration data from the calibration unit; and

rendering, with the data processing unit, the VR model or AR model to a display.

27. The simulation method of claim 26 , further comprising:

mechanically constraining, with a mount, a fixed portion of the physical model to a fixed position relative to the mount.

28. The simulation method of claim 26 , wherein the VR model or AR model comprises a virtual image.

29. The simulation method of claim 28 , further comprising:

combining, with the data processing unit, the virtual image with an actual image to form an augmented reality image.

30. The simulation method of claim 26 , further comprising:

receiving, with the data processing unit, data from each of a plurality of position and orientation sensors indicating a position of each of the position and orientation sensors relative to the physical model, an orientation of each of the position and orientation sensors relative to the physical model, or a combination thereof; and

generating, with the data processing unit, the VR model or AR model using the data from each of the plurality of position and orientation sensors and the calibration data from the calibration unit.

31. The simulation method of claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of position and orientation sensors is substantially identical.

32. The simulation method of claim 30 , wherein the data from each of the plurality of position and orientation sensors is weighted in accordance with the data reliability.

33. The simulation method of claim 26 , further comprising:

receiving, with a tracking unit in communication with the data processing unit, the data from the position and orientation sensor; and

transmitting, with the tracking unit, the data from the position and orientation sensor to the data processing unit.

34. The simulation method of claim 26 , further comprising generating, with a magnetic sensor transmitter unit, a magnetic field detectable by the position and orientation sensor.

35. The simulation method of claim 26 , further comprising displaying, with the data processing unit, the choice of simulation scenarios on the display.

36. The simulation method of claim 26 , further comprising generating, with the data processing unit, a VR model or AR model corresponding to the physical model using the data from the position and orientation sensor, the calibration data from the calibration unit, and the selected simulation scenario.

37. The simulation method of claim 26 , further comprising pre-loading the calibration data from the calibration unit into the calibration unit before the calibration data from the calibration unit is received by the data processing unit.

38. The simulation method of claim 26 , further comprising:

receiving, with a data processing unit, the calibration data from a tool calibration unit indicating a position of a tool position and orientation sensor relative to the tool, an orientation of a tool position and orientation sensor relative to a tool, or a combination thereof;

receiving, with the data processing unit, the data from the tool position and orientation sensor indicating the position of the tool, the orientation of the tool, or a combination thereof;

generating, with the data processing unit, a tool virtual image corresponding to the tool using the data from the tool position and orientation sensor and the calibration data from the tool calibration unit; and

rendering, with the data processing unit, the tool virtual image to a display.

39. The simulation method of claim 38 , further comprising:

receiving, with a tracking unit in communication with the data processing unit, the data from the tool position and orientation sensor; and

transmitting, with the tracking unit, the data from the tool position and orientation sensor to the data processing unit.

40. The simulation method of claim 38 , further comprising proposing, with the data processing unit, the choice of simulation scenarios a using the data from the tool position and orientation sensor in addition to the calibration data from the tool calibration unit.

41. The simulation method of claim 40 , further comprising displaying, with the data processing unit, the choice of simulation scenarios on the display.

42. The simulation method of claim 40 , further comprising generating, with the data processing unit, a tool virtual image corresponding to the tool using the data from the tool position and orientation sensor, the calibration data from the tool calibration unit, and the selected simulation scenario.

43. The simulation method of claim 38 , further comprising pre-loading the calibration data from the tool calibration unit into the tool calibration unit before the calibration data from the tool calibration unit is received by the data processing unit.