Home // International Journal On Advances in Life Sciences, volume 2, numbers 3 and 4, 2010 // View article

A Micro-Biomanipulation Training System based on Mixed-Reality

Authors:
Leonardo Mattos
Darwin Caldwell

Keywords: mixed-reality; teleoperation; biomanipulation; micromanipulation

Abstract:
Within neuroscience, micromanipulation and microinjection of cells (blastocysts and neurons) are essential and highly skilled tasks that can require years of training. These tasks are traditionally performed via direct manual control of the biomanipulation equipment while looking through a microscope. Yet, even after extensive training, yield can be low (40 – 70%). This paper presents a mixed-reality system for the training of operators (biologists/neuroscientists) on a new fully teleoperated biomanipulation system with reduced training requirements and much higher yields. Two mixed-reality training scenarios were designed, implemented and tested for this purpose: A “move-and-inject” task focused on precise positioning training; and a trajectory following scenario intended to develop precise motion control skills in new operators. Preliminary experiments performed with 20 totally novice operators demonstrate that this new training system is effective in terms of the initial development of control skills for real teleoperated biomanipulations. Experimental metrics demonstrate an exponential learning curve for these novice operators, who achieve good performance values after only two practice runs on the system. In addition, this training is shown to be safe and inexpensive since no real cells, biochemical products, or several pipettes are needed for this initial training phase.

Pages: 73 to 81

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2010. Used with permission.

Publication date: April 6, 2011

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-2660