Patent ID: 8616894

Claim:
A virtual operation simulator for training for minimal-invasive operations, in particular for endourological interventions, having a simulation computer unit, at least one instrument, at least one instrument input unit for picking up the instrument, with the instrument input unit allowing and recording movement of the instrument in a predetermined number of degrees of freedom, and a force feedback unit which is associated with the instrument input unit and applies variable forces to the instrument directly or indirectly via the instrument input unit, wherein a monitoring control unit is provided, which is connected to the simulation computer unit and to the instrument input unit, with the monitoring control unit having a first interface which provides communication of parameters between the monitoring control unit and the simulation computer unit at a speed of about a video framing rate of the simulator, and having a second interface which provides communication of parameters with the instrument input unit at a speed which is higher than the video framing rate of the simulator, and the instrument input unit allows at least four degrees of freedom, detects movements of the instrument within these degrees of freedom, supplies corresponding signals to the monitoring control unit and receives signals for the force feedback unit, at least some of which are generated by the simulation computer unit; wherein the monitoring control unit calculates a multiple of the number of data received from the simulation computer unit by linear extrapolation as a function of the instantaneous force trend of the data and sends the multiple of the number of data to the instrument input unit; and wherein the monitoring control unit passes position data received from the instrument input unit to the simulation computer unit.