Virtual ergonomic studies in endoscopic intervention.

Virtual instrumentation provides a strong platform for the rapid design and prototyping of biomedical instruments. Virtual instrument software written using a block diagram approach familiar to instrument designers quickly turns a personal computer into a custom biomedical instrument. The portable VIs we have developed for ergonomic analysis of video-endoscopic surgery are quick to set up and convenient to use. We have collected a large amount of ergonomic data in a short time with these VIs because of their custom design and because we can take them to sites where there are many willing surgeon-subjects. We are preparing to use these VIs in studies of actual surgery.