Pressure feedback network for abdominal simulator system

A pressure feedback network for an abdominal simulator system having a patient manikin provided with an abdominal cavity containing an array of a plurality of inflatable elements emplaced within the abdominal cavity covering respectively distinct areas of pressurization over a length and a width of the abdominal cavity, each inflatable element being supplied with pressurization fluid through a pressurization channel from a source of pressurization under separate and independent pressurization control from other pressurization channels for the other inflatable elements, so that each inflatable element can be independently controlled by being supplied with pressurization fluid to inflate or deflate the inflatable element,

• wherein said pressure feedback network comprises a like plurality of pressure sensors each provided for a respective one of said plurality of inflatable elements by coupling each one of said pressure sensors to a respective pressurization channel of a respective inflatable element for detecting changes in pressurization levels of the pressurization fluid in the pressurization channel, and
• a signal network coupling pressurization level detection outputs from the plurality of pressure sensors to a pressure feedback analyzer for analyzing differences in pressurization levels of pressurization fluid supplied to the inflatable elements and pressurization levels due to hand pressures applied by a palpation trainee to the array of inflatable elements within the abdominal cavity of the abdominal simulator system, and
• a display interface coupled to said pressure feedback analyzer for displaying the pressurization levels due to hand pressures applied by the palpation trainee to the array of inflatable elements of the abdominal simulator system, whereby the pressure feedback network is used to display the hand pressures applied by the palpation trainee in a training simulation for purposes of palpation training.