Reducing the impact of distraction using augmented feedback on robot-assisted surgical skills training

Operating rooms are generally full of distractions including calls from the ward, sounds from monitoring devices, and conversations not pertinent to the surgical procedure. The primary objective of this research is to examine the effect of augmented feedback to reduce the impact of distractions on robot-assisted surgical skills learning.;Three experiments were conducted to address the impact of distraction and effect of augmented feedback on robot-assisted surgical skills performance under distraction. Each experiment addressed a critical issue to provide a new regimen to improve training programs for surgical trainees: (1) investigating the impact of distractions on robot-assisted surgical performance and examine how the muscle fatigue relates to the impact of distraction, (2) exploring effect of augmented feedback on the performance of surgical tasks with distractions in order to reduce the impact of distraction as well as muscle fatigue, (3) examining the effect of training with distraction and augmented feedback on robotic surgical skills performance.;This dissertation provides a scientific basis of the performance under environmental distractions. This study could eventually allow trainees to establish a strategy to perform surgical skills in a noisy or distracting environment and potentially reduce hospital errors in the operating rooms, and subsequently ensure patient safety in the hospitals.