What if your employer could access a record of any of your actions during office hours? I put it very badly, actually: at least in this case, which could be very useful for a (future) surgeon.
The researchers of the Western Sydney University in Australia have developed new smart gloves for surgical training. A pair of these gloves can provide a lot of feedback on the skills and dexterity of the aspiring student surgeon during his or her training operations.
The prototype of the gloves, already in its third generation, has entered the testing phase at Liverpool Hospital in the United Kingdom.
Fairy glove, trained surgeon
The gloves were initially built with an electronic strip on the back to detect hand orientation and acceleration, and a set of sensors of strength at your fingertips. However, the first models were too heavy and risked even becoming an obstacle to operations for a surgeon. To solve the problem, the team then moved the force sensors to the forearm, and later also added motion sensors to the back of the hand.
Gough He, the scientist who initiated the project, starts from a very true assumption: medical students today must learn increasingly complex techniques, but teaching methods have been at a standstill for decades. Especially for a surgeon.
Give me your hand
“Teachers often say that something is not right, but they are unable to concretely explain what is wrong”, has explained.
“Now we have a tool that can help objectively measure the intricate maneuvers of the hand", the professor almost echoes Les Bokey, clinical dean and foundation professor of surgery and colorectal surgery.
The gloves, which can be connected to an inevitable companion app for smartphones, will allow an expert surgeon teacher to see the students' performances. You will be able to evaluate even the smallest details of an operation, and give precise feedback on the elements that students can improve.
Friends of medical students, I turn to you. If you are still waiting for an answer from all those hospitals to your surgery specialty question, you might want to start looking for a pair of these gloves. Perhaps with their help you will be able to hone your skills until they are surgically perfect.
