1.2 Utility

Simulation: Simulators are in widespread use in high-reliability environments. These include aviation, nuclear power, and the military. Simulation allows for approximation of real situations and scenarios that require quick and decisive decision-making and action. The decisions made in the real situations have profound results (e.g., the airplane lands or crashes).

Simulation allows for practice of these events, with no actual consequences for mistakes. In the mid-1980's anesthesia simulators were developed for training residents in induction and management. Subsequently, a variety of surgical and endoscopy procedure simulators have been developed and are in widespread use.

Flight simulator by Rockfish Systems

Besides medical education, simulation has profound implications for medical care. The use of simulation and statistical modeling has allowed for better radiation treatment of tumors. Utilizing high-performance computing, patient-specific datasets can be used to compute the best dose and route of radiation treatments. This type of simulation and statistical modeling can also be used for surgical planning. Statistical modeling can also be used to create simulations of populational health issues such as bioterrorism preparedness, and may not require any graphical display.

For more details on planning radiation therapy, see The British Machine Vision Association and Society for Pattern Recognition

Brain tumours from MR scans, courtesy of BMVA

Virtual reality: Virtual reality allows for visualization of and interaction with data in a three-dimensional manner, allowing for heightened realism. It also allows for rendering of concepts into a visual analog, and seamless shifting of scale from micro to macro. Besides enhancing realism and reifying concepts, virtual reality visualization techniques can be used for patient care. Patient-specific datasets can be used pre-operatively to help plan surgeries, or superimposed on live tissue to help with surgical approach. Virtual reality can also be used to treat some anxiety disorders. The image below shows a VR system developed by researchers in Georgia Institute of Technology College and Emory University used for treatment of fear of public speaking. More examples of treatment of various phobias with VR systems can be found here

Treatment of fear of public speaking, from Georgia Tech Research Horizon, Spring/Summer 2001 Issue