CAE Healthcare announced today the launch of NeuroVRTM, a neurosurgery simulator that offers the world’s most realistic training environment for open cranial and endoscopic brain surgery procedures. Developed by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) in collaboration with clinicians from teaching hospitals in Canada, the U.S., Europe and Asia, the simulator is currently in use at 15 sites and has been validated in published clinical studies.
NeuroVR currently includes 37 training modules covering instrument handling, endoscopy for cranial procedures and fundamental skills such as tumor resection, tumor debulking and hemostasis. The simulator allows a learner to practise neurosurgery and provides realistic visual and tactile feedback for different types of tissues.
Through licensing and development agreements, CAE Healthcare has been granted exclusive rights by NRC to sell and distribute the simulator, and will collaborate with NRC to develop additional training modules within the neurosurgery field.
“The National Research Council’s in-depth knowledge of virtual reality technology for medical simulation is unparalleled, and it has developed a best-in-class simulator for neurosurgery,” said Dr. Robert Amyot, president of CAE Healthcare. “The simulator has already been tested and validated by leading institutions, and it’s now being used to develop objective assessment metrics for neurosurgeons. We are proud to collaborate with NRC to advance the field of simulation-based education in healthcare and ultimately improve patient safety.”
“This collaboration with CAE Healthcare is the beginning of a great partnership where innovative medical simulation technologies assist health professionals in developing their skills,” said Roman Szumski, Vice President of Life Sciences at the National Research Council of Canada. “CAE Healthcare’s impressive market reach, innovative mindset and educational expertise will ensure that this cutting edge platform system is rapidly to become a learning tool accessible to a greater range of medical specialists. Such innovative technology platforms are essential to ensure the development of a sustainable, profitable and diverse Canadian healthcare technologies ecosystem.”
The National Research Council initiated the NeuroTouch (now known as NeuroVR) research project in collaboration with teaching hospitals throughout Canada in 2008, including founding members McGill University Health Centre and the University of Toronto Health Network. Designed for safe practice of low-frequency, high-risk surgeries, NeuroVR also captures performance metrics, and could provide a reliable assessment tool for neurosurgical skills including the safety, quality and efficiency of open cranial and endoscopic procedures.
CAE Healthcare has more than doubled its line of surgical and interventional simulators in the past year. In January of 2014, CAE Healthcare gained exclusive rights to distribute the VirtaMed ArthroS for knee and shoulder arthroscopy in North America, as well as other VirtaMed simulators. In September, CAE Healthcare became the international distributor for the Strategic Operations cut suits, which can be zipped around an actor or a manikin to simulate trauma surgery. The NeuroVR simulator will be sold exclusively by CAE Healthcare worldwide.
CAE Healthcare will showcase the NeuroVR at the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) in San Diego, California from January 16-20, 2016 and at the Human Patient Simulation Network (HPSN) World conference in Tampa, Florida from February 16-18, 2016.
To learn more about the NeuroVR simulator, visit www.caehealthcare.com.
About the National Research Council of Canada (NRC)
The National Research Council is Canada’s “go-to” research and technology organization. Working with clients and partners, NRC provides innovation support, strategic research, scientific and technical services to develop and deploy solutions to meet Canada’s current and future industrial and societal needs.
About CAE Healthcare
CAE Healthcare offers cutting-edge learning tools to healthcare students and professionals, allowing them to develop practical experience through risk-free simulation training before treating real patients. CAE Healthcare's full spectrum of simulation solutions includes surgical and imaging simulation, curriculum, the LearningSpace audiovisual and center management platform and highly realistic adult, pediatric and baby patient simulators. Today, approximately 9,000 CAE Healthcare simulators and audiovisual solutions are in use worldwide by medical schools, nursing schools, hospitals, defence forces and other entities.
About CAE
CAE (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) is a global leader in the delivery of training for the civil aviation, defence and security, and healthcare markets. We design and integrate the industry's most comprehensive training solutions, anchored by the knowledge and expertise of our 8,000 employees, our world-leading simulation technologies and a track record of service and technology innovation spanning seven decades. Our global presence is the broadest in the industry, with 160 sites and training locations in 35 countries, including our joint venture operations, and the world's largest installed base of flight simulators. Each year, we train more than 120,000 civil and defence crewmembers, as well as thousands of healthcare professionals.
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National Research Council of Canada
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