Augmented reality tele-mentoring (art) platform for laparoscopic training

A tele-mentoring system, comprising:

• a mentor environment, comprising:
• a mentor training laparoscopic box simulator comprising a mentor camera and mentor laparoscopic instruments;
• a mentor computing device comprising an audio/visual (A/V) processor, the computing device being coupled to the mentor training laparoscopic box simulator;
• a mentor microphone coupled to the computing device;
• and
• a mentor display coupled to at least the computing device, thereby
• forming a mentor environment;
• and
• a trainee environment, comprising:
• a trainee system comprising trainee laparoscopic instruments and trainee camera coupled to the mentor computing system;
• a trainee microphone coupled to the trainee system and the mentor computing device;
• and
• a trainee display coupled to the mentor environment thereby forming a tele-mentoring system for use in mentoring trainees to perform laparoscopic procedures, wherein the mentor environment is coupled to the trainee environment so that video generated by the mentor camera is superimposed on video generated by the trainee camera to allow for generation of a hybrid video signal comprising both the trainee laparoscopic instruments and the mentor laparoscopic instruments, which is provided, along with the mentor audio signal to the trainee display, to provide real-time audible and visual guidance to a trainee.