Sensor and actuator simulation training system for en-route intravenous procedure

A system has been developed to simulate transport in a medical emergency vehicle with the intent of assisting paramedics improve their skills in en-route cannulation. En-route cannulation makes pre-hospital venous access possible, which in turns helps to minimize the risk of lengthening transfer times. The system is designed to attain full monitoring of transport conditions, not just in the spatial but also in the temporal sense, and to physically recreate these parameters on a fabricated six degree of freedom simulator system. Tests conducted revealed the viability of applying an inertial measurement unit board sensor to collect data from a vehicle during transport and to subsequently reproduce the exact motions encountered on the simulator. It was found that a smartphone could be used to collect transport data that are dominated by perturbations in the O(101) Hertz scale. With a training arm for venipuncture placed on the simulator, a preliminary study conducted with six participants showed more pronounced performance deterioration amongst those who were untrained in cannulation when the simulator was switched on. The demonstrated system has features that make it amenable for incorporation into a clinical skills laboratory setting.