The integration of a neurosurgical microscope as an interface to a medical training simulator

We present the integration of a neurosurgical microscope as an interface to a medical training simulator. The simulator is based on Virtual Reality and combines the use of real-time simulation algorithms with a native interface consisting of a real surgical microscope and original instruments. The position and pose of the head of the microscope are tracked with an optical tracking system that is mounted on the microscope. The camera tracks 3 infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that are integrated in a phantom of the patient's head. The status of the microscope such as zoom and focus are read out via controller-area network (CAN). The oculars have been replaced by a stereoscopic display.