Design of an oral surgery simulator : Human-centered design study and implementation on a surgerysimulator

Abstract: The company Forsslund Systems has developed a simulator for oral surgery training. The simulator, named Kobra, uses detailed virtual models of surgical situations, spatial haptics and a co-located stereoscopic display to provide an environment in which students can practice surgical techniques. Four years after the introduction of the Kobra a need was recognized for a new hardware design that satisfies the customers expectations on visual appearance and hardware refinement and that aims to improve the experience for the end users. This report describes the design development process of the new enclosure, that had a focus on human-centered design, brand management and small-scale manufacturing. Inspired by findings from a comprehensive user study, conducted at a teaching hospital in Riga and relevant literature, as well as the results of prototyping and testing, the new design of the Kobra aims to improve the usability and market attractiveness of the product offering. This while being tailored to utilize the manufacturing technologies available to a small-scale in-house or out-sourced production team. A full-scale functioning prototype of the concept was built in-house, using the proposed means of manufacture, demonstrating a design that is close to ready for production.