West Virginia University

Susan B Leight

Roy S Nutter

Victor W Leight

Douglas J Miller

Bratislav Matic

Christy B Schmidt

An interactive breast model ( ) is disclosed for training lay persons and health care providers to perform effective breast examinations and to locate and identify masses in a breast. The model of the invention comprises a silicone breast model ( ) equipped with a data acquisition unit ( ) having a plurality of sensors ( ) for detecting displacement in the surface ( ) of the breast model during an examination and data acquisition modules ( ) for receiving the sensor output data. The data acquisition unit ( ) sends the sensor output to a personal computer ( ) for analysis and display to the user ( ). Software ( ) executing on the personal computer performs fuzzy logic algorithms to correlate the sensor output data to usable information regarding the time duration of the examination, finger placement of the user, and the level of displacement throughout the examination. This performance data ( ) is displayed to the user.

Instrumented breast model

An interactive instrumented model for training lay persons and health care providers to perform effective physical examinations of anatomy. A solid-state sensing system, e.g., a tactile sensor pad, is combined with a model of human anatomy, e.g., a breast model, or a part of a patient to train individuals in the giving of proper physical examinations. The solid-state sensing system is external to the model or part and is in contact with an external surface of the model or part. The solid-state sensing system provides a computer system with multiple levels of pressure applied to the model or part, as well as with the position of each applied pressure to the model or part. The computer system displays the results of a physical examination of the model to the user.

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Bridgeport, WV, United States of America

Susan B Leight