Haptic Avatar

Haptic system for laparoscopic, arthroscopic and thoracoscopic VR training

Avatar Port

4DOF haptic device for laparoscopic VR simulation

Yaw · Side to side

±90°

Resolution 0.0055°
Peak strength 0.8 Nm
Pitch · Back and forth

±60°

Resolution 0.0055°
Peak strength 1.0 Nm
Rotation · Twist

Unlimited

Resolution 0.01°
Peak strength 0.10 Nm
Insertion · In and out

Unlimited

Resolution 5 µm
Peak strength 18 N

Peak strength can be held for a limited time. The Port is over-temperature protected and cooled by an internal fan. With an instrument inserted 100 mm, the sideways position resolution at its tip is roughly 20 µm.

Features

Retractable and insertable instruments.
Detection and identification of instruments.
Integrated power, amplifiers, motor control, cooling and haptics computer.
Modular mounting system for simple setup and customization.
The insertion part is lit for didactic purposes, auto or user controlled.

Specifications

Applications	Laparoscopy, arthroscopy, thoracoscopy	Virtual reality simulation training.
Communication	USB (Micro-B to A)	To a USB 3.0 hub or directly to the computer. Current requirement 0.9 A.
Force loop	>6 kHz external	Through the simulation.
Power	Internal Li-Ion battery	Four 3.7 V cells, 37 Wh in total, charged via USB. An external 16.8 V charger (provided) charges four times faster.
Calibration	Automatic zero angle	Yaw and pitch. The Port blinks fast when it needs calibration; move it in a small circle around the zero position.
Minimum distance	50 mm	Between Ports, without mechanical interference.
Weight	1.75 kg

Dimensions

Dimensions in mm.

Avatar Instruments

Instrument handles, shafts and scope

Grasper

Force feedback
Clip Applier

Force feedback
Needle Driver

Sensing
Straight Tool

Sensing
Scope

Sensing

The shaft

Identification tip
Thread and two grooves
Colour marker
Quick connector

Standard 310 mm for laparoscopy and thoracoscopy, 210 mm for arthroscopy. Any length from 200 mm to 450 mm at purchase.

Standard set

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Purple
Black

Force feedback Sensing Scope

Extended set

Brown Additional scope
Grey Special instrument 1
White Special instrument 2

Mate a handle with a shaft and connect it to the IBox connector of the same colour. Handles with force feedback need red, orange, yellow or green. The black shaft is for the Scope.

Handle and Scope performance

Handle grip (force feedback)	0–100 %, typically 30°	Resolution 0.1 %, 0.01°, peak strength 10 N
Scope camera angle	0–360°, unlimited turns	Resolution <0.1°
Scope zoom knob	0–360°, unlimited turns	Resolution 32 ticks per turn

Special instruments

Because of the Avatar's unique system with a Port that accepts a simple threaded/grooved instrument shaft, and instruments that are individually sensed/detected, adaptation to special instruments is straightforward.

The original instrument

Adapted for Haptic Avatar

Identity tip with index 9, unique for the Echelon
Stainless steel shaft, 31 cm long (as the original shaft)
USB cable

The example shows an Echelon Flex 35 (ETHICON) which is equipped with sensors to interact with the Avatar System. Other examples are ETHICON Echelon Flex 3000, Covidien Signia staplers, Medtronic Endostitch.

Depending on the number and type of sensors needed, the instrument handle is either USB-connected, or connected to the IBox.

IBox

Reads the handles and drives their force feedback.

Channels: 6, of which 4 with force feedback
Connection: USB; USB-charged, with an internal Li-Ion battery for the motors
Size: 180 × 49.4 × 57 mm (L × W × H)
Weight: 800 g
Pedal: A Double Footswitch Pedal connects to a 3.5 mm audio jack.

Avatar Trocar

4DOF tracking device for laparoscopic VR simulation

0.0055°

Yaw and pitch resolution

3.6µm

Insertion resolution

~35mm

Minimum distance between Trocars

100g

Weight

Can also track Ø3–5 mm real laparoscopic instruments, though not their handle opening.
Insert in any silicone manikin or use with an Avatar Trocar Gimbal.
Detects and identifies Avatar Instruments, like the Avatar Port.

Structures

Mount the Ports in your preferred way.

Fixed ramp on plate
Movable ramp on rail
Fixed workstation
Tool stand
Transportable Tri‑port

Integration

Follou's device library connects Haptic Avatar to your simulation, whatever language it is written in.

Your simulation

Python, C++, C#, Unity or any other environment

From Follou

Follou device library

A DLL on Windows, dylib on macOS, .so on Linux

USB

Haptic Avatar

Ports, Trocars, IBox and Scope. One USB cable per device.

The library finds and identifies every connected Follou device. Your simulation reads positions and orientations and sets forces, at up to 7000 Hz for several devices (1000 Hz for the Trocar) and about 35 µs per update. For Unity, a ready-made prefab connects the devices automatically.

Parts and accessories

Devices

Avatar Port

HA-HD-001
IBox

HA-IB-001

Instruments

Instrument Shaft

HA-IN-001
Grasper

HA-IN-002
Grasper Without Force

HA-IN-003
Needle Driver

HA-IN-004
Straight Tool With Pushbuttons

HA-IN-005
Clip Applier

HA-IN-006
Scope

HA-SD-001

Structures

Haptic Port Mounting Bracket

HA-FA-001
IBox Mounting Bracket

HA-FA-002
Fixed 20° Ramp Low

HA-FA-003
Movable 20° ramp Low

HA-FA-005
Base With 5 Rails

HA-BA-001
Workstation Base With 2 Mounting Brackets

HA-BA-002
Workstation Base With 3 Mounting Brackets

HA-BA-003
Instrument Holder Stand

HA-BA-004

Options and accessories

Li-Ion battery charger

HA-AC-001
USB-hub

HA-AC-002
Double Footswitch Pedal

HA-ES-001

Data sheets

Avatar Port

4DOF haptic device for laparoscopic VR simulation

PDF · 3 pages · 3.1 MB
Avatar Instruments

Instrument handles, shafts and scope for Haptic Avatar

PDF · 4 pages · 5.5 MB
Avatar Trocar

4DOF tracking device for laparoscopic VR simulation

PDF · 2 pages · 1.1 MB

Questions or a quote?

Address

Ekvatorsvägen 8, 423 38 Torslanda, Sweden

Mail

sales@follou.se