Interactive education system for teaching patient care
Inventors
Eggert, John S. • Eggert, Michael S. • Rodriguez, Alberto
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10964231-B2
Publication Date
2021-03-30
Expiration Date
Abstract
Simulator systems for teaching patient care are provided. In some instances, the simulator system includes a maternal simulator sized and shaped to simulate a pregnant woman, the maternal simulator including a torso, arms, legs, and a head, wherein the torso includes a chamber sized and shaped to receive a fetal simulator and wherein a birthing mechanism is disposed within the chamber for providing rotational and translational movement to the fetal simulator in a birthing simulation; and a fetal simulator sized and shaped to simulate a fetus, the fetal simulator configured to be selectively engaged with the birthing mechanism of the maternal simulator.
Core Innovation
The invention describes an interactive patient simulator for teaching patient care. The patient simulator includes a patient body comprising a plurality of physically simulated body parts and a master computer module positioned within the patient body. The master computer module is configured to communicate with an external control system, receive simulation commands from the external control system, and relay the simulation commands to task computer modules positioned within the patient body and spaced from the master computer module.
Each task computer module includes a processor configured to execute the simulation commands to control at least one physically simulated body part for a desired physiological scenario. The master computer module includes an internal power supply connected to it, and the task computer modules are connected to the master computer module via a power wire and a communication device. This enables the master computer module to control power consumption and activation and deactivation of each task computer module.
The partial content also describes a modular simulator electronics architecture with additional pneumatic modules, sensing modules, and audio and electrical signal modules coordinated through the master module. The content further describes low-pressure pneumatic operation to prevent water introduction and damage, and an internal, quiet, self-cooling compressor architecture that enables simulator functionality without external high-pressure equipment.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim coverage centers on a patient simulator architecture with a master computer module inside the patient body communicating with an external control system and relaying simulation commands to spaced task computer modules. The inventive features include master-and-task distributed command relay, task-module execution of simulation commands to control physically simulated body parts, and internal power with master-controlled power consumption and activation and deactivation.
Master-and-task distributed command relay architecture
A master computer module positioned within the patient body receives simulation commands from the external control system and relays the simulation commands to a plurality of task computer modules positioned within the patient body and spaced from the master computer module.
Task modules executing scenario control of simulated body parts
Each task computer module includes a processor configured to execute the simulation commands received from the master computer module to control at least one of the plurality of physically simulated body parts for a desired physiological scenario.
Internal power with master-controlled power consumption
An internal power supply is connected to the master computer module, and each task computer module is connected to the master computer module via a power wire so that the master computer module can control power consumption by each of the plurality of task computer modules from the internal power supply.
Master-controlled activation and deactivation via communication device
Each task computer module is connected to the master computer module via a communication device so that the master computer module can control activation and deactivation of each of the plurality of task computer modules.
Overall, the claims cover a distributed patient simulator architecture in which a master computer module relays simulation commands to spaced task computer modules, each task module executes the commands to control physically simulated body parts for physiological scenarios, and the master module controls task-module power consumption and activation and deactivation through an internal power supply, power wire, and communication device.
Stated Advantages
Prevents water introduction and damage associated with low-pressure pneumatic operation of the simulator.
Provides a quiet, internal, self-cooling compressor architecture enabling simulator functionality without external high-pressure equipment.
Documented Applications
Teaching patient care using a patient simulator with physically simulated body parts controlled for desired physiological scenarios.
Physiological scenario simulation including breathing, lung, pharynx, larynges, lung sounds, heart sounds, voice sounds, ECG signal emission, 12-lead/myocardial-infarction simulation, pacer/defib interfacing, and intubation depth sensing as described in the partial content.
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