Hi Sim Champs!

Just got an email from a simulation user  looking to operate a ventilator in their simulations.  At the Clinical Simulation Center of Las Vegas we used a refurbished ventilator to add props to the sceneray but it was never very successful for creating realistic chest rise and fall.  We were able to disable the warning alarms to make it so that the scenario could play out but we would have liked a more realistic solution.

Do you have a ventilator that works well for your medical simulation program?  If so, drop me an email and tell me about it !

Replacing the 565 series of Noelle Birthing Manikins, Gaumard released their new 554.100 manikin model today.

This mid-range Noelle costs less than the flagship 575 series model but still has most of the same functionality including the birthing mechanism, automated hemorrhaging, pulses and more.  Dilated pupils or other advanced eye systems are not included on this model, which also does not run wirelessly.  But the price is also significantly less as well!  Watch the video below to learn more about the features of Noelle 554.100!

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Take the tour of the new Gaumard Noelle 554.100!

Did you know you can quickly and dramatically increase realism to your medical simulation program through the addition of a voice-changer? Consider the benefits of transforming the sound of a facilitator’s voice into the age and gender of the patient they are simulating.

Imagine creating a more realistic patient presentation for your medical simulation learners by changing an adult male clinical instructor’s voice into that of a child’s for your pediatrics cases, or even morphing a female educator’s voice into that of an elderly adult male patient for your geriatrics cases!

I have done several hours of research and testing to find the best software and hardware based voice changing solutions for your medical simulation labs.  Read on to learn more… Read the rest of this entry »

At IMSH 2012 I had a chance to talk with Jeff from Med World Live about their web-based online streaming platforms.  What is unique about Med World Live is the ability for your end-users to control their camera perspective in real-time for enhanced learning, from anywhere in the world.

Features unique to the Med World Live online video platform include:

• Multiple camera angles
• Simultaneous live feeds
• End-user controlled experience

• Providing the Medical Community a new and innovative way to showcase products to the world.
• We are changing the way simulation centers and teaching institutions utilize the web for teaching by creating a customized interactive portal that houses pertinent teaching information and streams it directly to the end users.
• Allowing students to learn remotely
• Showcase and BRAND pertinent teaching tools
• Film training videos and save money on T&E
• Increase MD product competency

Learn more today by visiting the MedWorldLive website!

At IMSH 2012 I had a chance to interview Josh Williams from the team at USC’s Institute for Creative Technology about their PTSD Treatment Simulator.

Utilizing a controller and virtual reality helmet while engaging in a customizable scenario, combat veteran’s can work through traumatic events in a controlled and safe environment.  The technology is already being used by therapists and soldiers in over 65 locations around the World.  Visit ICT’s website to learn more!

Archie MD was at IMSH to demonstrate a few of their many educational products.  I had a chance to talk with Kirk from Archie MD about their Augmented Reality Task Trainer and “Medrills” mobile training solutions.

Learn more by visiting the Archie MD website.

METI, now a brand name of CAE Healthcare, was at IMSH 2012 this year demonstrating the company’s continued commitment to being a leader in healthcare education.  At IMSH, I spoke with Regional Sales Director Brian Donohue about what this merger means for the medical simulation community as well as what we can expect from CAE Healthcare in 2012.

Also, be sure to check out my preview demonstration of the CAE Viamedix Ultrasound Simulator.  What really excites me about this merger is the amazing potential CAE now has to bring lessons learned from over half-a-century of simulation in aviation and other massive industries to the medical simulation community.

Now that METI is under the umbrella of CAE Healthcare and will have access to all this additional experiences I have a strong feeling we will be seeing a lot more trend-setting announcements from the company in the years to come.

Check out this amazing CAE 3000 helicopter simulator to see what I am talking about!

 Visit CAE Healthcare and METI to learn more.

At IMSH I had a brief moment to talk with Dr. Robert F. Buckman, Jr. M.D., an internationally-known surgeon and inventor of medical technology devices, about the surgical simulator products available from Operative Experience.  Even though we only had a short conversation I was really impressed with the level of realism inherit with the Operative Experience surgery simulator product line.  Check out my interview with Dr. Buckman below:

Realistic surgery simulator procedures available from Operative Experience include:

• Point-of-injury Hemorrhage Control
• Low Transverse C-Section
• External Fixation of Femur
• Shunting of Femoral Artery and Vein
• Proximal Control of Femoral Artery
• Subdural Hematoma
• Below Knee Amputation
• Above Knee Amputation
• Fasciotomy

The Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC.Org) helped fund the development of these amazing surgical simulators. Visit OperativeExperience.com to learn more about their surgery simulation products and services!

Ryan Eling, Operations Manager and Simulation Specialist from the University of New England Clinical Simulation Program has posted the first video for the GHOSTS 2012 “DIY Video Contest” for his “FAKE-A-SCOPE”! Check out this amazing video to learn how to make an affordable “Fake-A-Scope” for your sim lab!

Kam McCowan’s idea for the “DIY Video Contest” was to bring the simulation technician community closer together by providing techs an opportunity to share how they increased efficiency or realism in their medical simulation labs.  And remember, the 2012 “Gathering of Healthcare Simulation Technology Specialists” group is also putting together some amazing prizes for the best DIY videos – so consider sharing what made your lab more efficient or more realistic today!

If you are looking for help with learning how to make a short video, check out my 2-part Medical Simulation Video Production Tutorial!

At San Diego I got a chance to talk with Brad from Smooth-On.Com, a moulage company that specializes in mold-casting and special effects makeup. Smooth-On has created numerous special-effects molds for major Hollywood films such as Jurassic Park, Star Wars and the Matrix series.   Check out my video interview with Brad where we learn about the benefits of mold casting for moulage and the products available at Smooth-On.com!

As Brad explains in the video above, creating molds for your Simulation lab helps save time for those high-use moulage castings.  This helps to ensure that the next time you need a specific wound you won’t have to start producing the moulage from scratch.

Be sure to check out their free How To Make a Molds & Castings ebook as well as their training seminars!