System and method for augmented ultrasound simulation using flexible touch sensitive surfaces

A system for ultrasound simulation, comprising:

• a) a probe assembly comprising a housing having a handle and a tip connected to the handle, an electronic tag reader housed in the tip, and an orientation sensor within the housing;
• b) an electronic tag comprising, an adhesive layer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and a transponder layer affixed to the adhesive layer on the first side, wherein the second side comprises an adhesive to attach the electronic tag to a body of a subject;
• c) a scanning patch having a flexible touch-sensitive surface and a flexible display bonded with the flexible touch-sensitive surface, the scanning patch configured to be applied on the body over the electronic tag, wherein application of the scanning patch on the body causes the scanning patch to conform to the contour of the body, wherein the scanning patch is configured to operate with the probe assembly to provide translational movement information of the probe assembly to the electronic tag reader when the probe assembly is slid over the scanning patch;
• and
• d) a processor operatively connected to the electronic tag reader and the orientation sensor to process information received by the electronic tag reader and the orientation sensor and send the processed information to the computing device via a communication interface to display a simulated environment comprising a virtual body corresponding to the body of the subject, a virtual ultrasound probe that orients and moves according to the orientation and movement of the probe assembly, and a simulated ultrasound image corresponding to the region of the body being scanned to mimic how a real ultrasound image would look like if a real ultrasound probe were placed on a corresponding location on an actual patient.

A method for simulating use of an ultrasound machine, comprising:

• a) attaching at least one electronic tag on a pre-defined location on a subject, wherein the at least one electronic tag comprises information related to an anatomical body part associated with the pre-defined location on the subject where the at least one electronic tag is attached;
• b) attaching a scanning patch on the subject over the at least one electronic tag, wherein the scanning patch has a flexible touch-sensitive surface and a flexible display bonded with the flexible touch-sensitive surface, wherein attaching the scanning patch on the subject causes the scanning patch to conform to a contour of the anatomical body part;
• c) using a probe assembly to activate the at least one electronic tag by placing the probe assembly on the at least one electronic tag, wherein when the at least one electronic tag is activated by the probe assembly, a system identifies the anatomical body part associated with the predefined location on the subject where the at least one electronic tag is attached, and the electronic tag outputs ultrasound information related to the anatomical body part to display a simulated environment on a screen, wherein the scanning patch is configured to operate with the probe assembly to provide translational movement information of the probe assembly to the electronic tag reader when the probe assembly is slid over the scanning patch;
• d) moving the probe assembly along the scanning patch, wherein the ultrasound information outputted corresponds with the movement of the probe assembly such that the ultrasound information replicates images that would be seen in an actual ultrasound of the anatomical body part based on the movement, wherein a processor operatively connected to an electronic tag reader and an orientation sensor in the probe assembly processes information received by the electronic tag reader and the orientation sensor and sends the processed information to the computing device via a communication interface to display a simulated environment comprising a virtual body corresponding to the body of the subject, a virtual ultrasound probe that orients and moves according to the orientation and movement of the probe assembly, and a simulated ultrasound image corresponding to the region of the body being scanned to mimic how a real ultrasound image would look like if a real ultrasound probe were placed on a corresponding location on an actual patient, whereby a user gains experience on how to use the ultrasound machine.