Abstract
We have developed catheter simulation system in blood vessels for training of young physicians. In this study, we evaluated the necessary criteria for an effective tactile interface. The model of the guidewire was constructed with viscoelastic springs and segments as the dynamic deformation of a flexible structure. The vessel is an elastic circular cylinder, whose shape is defined by the centerline and the radii. Collisions between the guidewire and the vessel are calculated and the contact forces are determined according to the stiffness and damping of the vessel wall. This simulator should improve the safety of the intravascular surgery.
