Cartesian Space Vibrotactile Cues Outperform Tool Space Cues when Moving from 2D to 3D Needle Insertion Task

Percutaneous needle insertion can be a life-saving procedure in trauma patients. Incorrect needle placement can generate greater patient morbidity, potentially leading to severe complications and even death. Because of the fact that it occurs in emergency situations, this procedure often has to be performed by individuals who are not experienced in its execution, with a greater potential for mistakes. To address this, in a previous conference publication we introduced a vibrotactile sleeve to guide users in this task along two degrees of freedom. In this paper we extend this approach to three degrees of freedom with a new design, and evaluate the outcome of three different cue delivery strategies (Tool, Cartesian and Joint). Results show accuracy greater than 95% in discriminating between nine possible directions on the Cartesian modality. In addition to being used for the development of needle insertion guidance systems, with first responders benefiting from remote expert guidance, the sleeve could also inform training methods for new medical practitioners.