Simulator for skill-oriented training of a healthcare practitioner

A simulator for skill-oriented training of a healthcare task, the simulator comprising:

• a head-mounted display unit (HMDU) wearable by an operator operating the simulator, the HMDU having at least one camera, at least one speaker, at least one display device, and at least one HMDU sensor, the at least one camera, the at least one speaker, and the at least one display device providing visual and audio output to the operator;
• one or more controllers operable by the operator, the one or more controllers each having at least one controller sensor, the at least one controller sensor and the at least one HMDU sensor each cooperating to measure and to output one or more signals representing spatial positioning, angular orientation, speed and direction of movement data of the one or more controllers relative to a patient as the operator performs a healthcare task;
• a data processing system operatively coupled to the HMDU and the one or more controllers, the data processing system including a processor and memory operatively coupled to the processor with a plurality of executable algorithms stored therein, the processor is configured by the executable algorithms to:
• determine coordinates of a position, an orientation, and a speed and a direction of movement of the one or more controllers in relation to the patient as the operator takes actions to perform the healthcare task based on the one or more signals output from the at least one HMDU sensor and the at least one controller sensor of each of the one or more controllers;
• model the actions taken by the operator to perform the healthcare tasks to determine use of healthcare equipment and supplies and changes in condition of the patient, reaction of the patient, and the used healthcare equipment and supplies in relation to the actions taken;
• render the patient, the used healthcare equipment and supplies, the condition of the patient, the reaction of the patient, changes to the condition of the patient, changes to the used healthcare equipment and supplies, and sensory guidance as to the performance of the healthcare tasks from the actions taken by the operator in a three-dimensional virtual training environment;
• and
• simulate in real-time the three-dimensional virtual training environment depicting the rendered patient, the rendered reaction of the patient, the rendered used healthcare equipment and supplies, the rendered changes to the condition of the patient, the rendered changes to the used healthcare equipment and supplies, and the rendered sensory guidance as the operator performs the healthcare task in the training environment;
• wherein the rendered patient, the rendered reaction of the patient, the rendered used healthcare equipment and supplies, the rendered changes to the condition of the patient, the rendered changes to the used healthcare equipment and supplies, and the rendered sensory guidance are exhibited in near real-time to the operator within the training environment on the at least one display device of the HMDU to provide in-process correction and reinforcement of preferred performance characteristics as the operator performs the healthcare task;
• and
• wherein the rendered sensory guidance includes a plurality of visual, audio and tactile indications of performance by the operator as compared to optimal values for performance.