TRAINING SYSTEMS AND PRACTICAL SKILLS ACQUISITION BY MEANS OF STEREOSCOPIC VISUALIZATION ENVIRONMENTS

Stereoscopic visualizations have evident applications in the development of virtual anatomy teaching programmes, as well as helping the better interpretation of images in clinical diagnosis and assisting surgical procedures.
It is possible to visualize images or models shaping the inner part of the human body, either artificially originated or recreated from real images, taken by means of diagnosis techniques such as Computed Tomography (TC) or Magnetic Resonance (MR).
Stereoscopic vision systems provide users with the possibility to assess both body images and their graphical representations. Moreover, stereoscopic vision allows as well the interpretation of the tridimensional environment that surrounds images. Nevertheless, the use of these systems in teaching contexts demands a good knowledge of its possibilities and limitations. That is the reason why the teacher can choose the most adequate system to apply to each knowledge transmission method, whether lectures or workshops.
We present an example of surgical procedure using a visualization and representation system with stereoscopic glasses, that allows the development of a complete training protocol of heart surgery. We seek motivation of new students’ generations, trying to maintain their concentration capacity as well as improving their training in surgical techniques.
The technological system we present here is based on a tridimensional conception of the image that leads to the perception of volume and solid appearance of the heart, locating the organ in a specific spatial spot. This perception in three dimensions of the heart and the ribcage where this organ is located, corresponds to stereoscopic vision or relief vision, which is obtained from the capacity of the human visual system to provide objects with tridimensional appearance, departing from two-dimensional images kept in the eyes’ retinas. This aspect plays a major role in the teaching of medical images because it allows, using the aforementioned stereoscopic techniques, the visualization of any body structure with tridimensional sensation.
Health sciences have been specially receptive to new environments and technological developments. The creation and modification of tridimensional images using computers, and its later visualization by means of stereoscopic systems of adapted glasses, make it easier to get a new teaching dimension when mixed with computing systems of spatial visualization. In this way, we access new technological environments of Virtual Reality and their extension towards Augmented Reality, very useful in the medical-surgical sphere.
Stereoscopic visualization systems constitute a very effective technique from the didactic point of view, since they allow medicine students to face clinical situations in a simulated way, circumstances that no doubt will have to face in real life throughout his/her professional career. In this way, students can get familiar with different clinical conditions, gain self-confidence and be ready for the possible adversities that might happen.

Acknowledgements: This study has been partially funded by the Project I+D +i EDU2009-08753EDUC (subprogramme EDUC), of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education.