Comparison of task performance of the camera-holder robots EndoAssist and Aesop.

Background: Two robotic laparoscopic camera-holders, Endo Assist and Aesop 3000, are compared from a system design viewpoint measuring the time taken to perform certain tasks by the operator.

Methods: EndoAssist and Aesop 3000 robots were tested in a simulated environment. EndoAssist was controlled via a headset-mounted motion axis selection sensor, while Aesop was voice activated.

Learning rate for laparoscopic surgical skills on MIST VR, a virtual reality simulator: quality of human-computer interface.

Acquiring laparoscopic surgical skills involves initial learning of cognitive and motor skills followed by refinement of those skills. The successful use of a virtual reality simulator depends on the quality of the interface for the human-computer interaction and this can be determined by the initial learning rate. MIST VR, a part-task virtual reality laparoscopic simulator, provides objective assessment of psychomotor skills and can generate an overall score for performance, based upon errors made and time taken for six different tasks.