Intergroup Research Initiative
Fine-Motor Skills in Medicine
Coordination: apl. Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Alwin Luttmann
Cooperating research groups
Individual visual
performance, Transformed
movements, Ageing and
CNS alterations, Modern
human-machine systems,
Biodynamics
Focus of cooperation
The intergroup research initiative is engaged in actions and fine-motor movements in medicine, in particular with surgical activities. Such activities require a high accuracy of the movements; they are increasingly performed "minimally invasive", i. e. under indirect view with the help of an endoscope using special operation instruments and often performed in awkward postures.
The goals of the studies of the intergroup initiative are
- the improvement of the skills,
- the reduction of the load on the surgeons and
- the improvement of the training of novices
for minimal invasive surgical and diagnostic interventions.
The execution of the complex surgical and diagnostic activities requires the involvement of different functions and organ systems of the physician. Therefore the research in this field needs a comprehensive perspective on the different organ functions. In consequence, a multidisciplinary procedure and the participation of diverse research groups of the IfADo with different scientific backgrounds as well as a cooperation with external - in particular clinical partners is essential. Fig. 1 gives an overview of the network of the internal and external partners.
The current and planned work of the intergroup research initiative concerns predominantly endoscopic interventions in urology. This disciplinary orientation results from earlier studies and is based on existing close contacts to clinical institutions of urology and to relevant enterprises. These contacts have contributed substantially to establish a simulation laboratory for endoscopy with comprehensive technical equipment, which is organizationally served by the research group "Biodynamics". Competent medical advice and clinical partnership is provided by the cooperation with the former and the current director of the urological department of the Klinikum Dortmund, Professor Dr. J. Sökeland and Professor Dr. M. Truss.
Fig. 1: Intergroup research initiative "Fine-motor skills in medicine"
Research plan
The research of the intergroup initiative is organized according to its
goals:
a. Visomotoric coordination ("SKILL")
The use of endoscopic operation techniques requires movement control of the
operation instruments under indirect visual view - usually on a monitor at a
certain distance from the operation area. The original three-dimensional spatial
movement of the instrument is displayed as a two-dimensional image movement on
the monitor. Thus problems result in the correct positioning of the tip of the
instrument, in particular in estimating the spatial depth.
b. Work-related load ("LOAD")
Surgical activities and, especially, minimal invasive interventions lead to high
mental and muscular strain. Studies are performed in order to prove, whether the
strain can be reduced by ergonomic work design.
c. Motor learning ("TRAINING")
For the training of novices in urologic surgery, diverse Real Body and Virtual
Reality Training Models were developed, which allow close-to-reality simulations
of endoscopic operations.