The Present and Future of Simulation Technology
Matthew Hackett, PhD SSH
Technology Committee Chair
Since its inception, the field of simulation has fundamentally changed how we train, analyze processes, and address complex problems. Simulation has been at the forefront of technology, driving research and development across numerous domains. Flight simulation pushed the boundaries of computer graphics, motion platforms, realistic instrumentation, and high-fidelity physics emulators. These advances revolutionized training for pilots and aircraft crews, enabling cost savings and improved performance. Healthcare simulation has been equally innovative, striving to mimic the complexity of the human body. Human patient simulators utilize intricate hardware, realistic biological simulants, and sophisticated physiological models to provide a training capability suitable for a wide variety of healthcare occupations. Mixed reality can be leveraged to create meaningful interactions with virtual patients, including conversation, assessment, and treatment. The advances in healthcare simulation have resulted in simulation becoming a pillar of healthcare education, utilized in the education of nearly every medical, nursing, and allied healthcare provider. To ensure that the simulation industry and broader healthcare simulation community remain at the frontier of technology, the Society for Simulation in Healthcare commissioned a white paper to highlight the current state of technology, the near future, and desired future research and development. The white paper will consist of a series of chapters focused on specific topics, including artificial intelligence, biometrics, haptics, mixed reality, and other emerging technologies. Each chapter was thoroughly researched by a team of scientists, engineers, educators, and healthcare providers to provide a comprehensive perspective of their respective technology area. The intent of the white paper is to provide a resource for the healthcare simulation community. The broad membership can utilize the white paper to become better informed on novel technologies and how they can be leveraged in their own environment. Industry partners are able to direct internal research and development based on white paper findings, ensuring their technology roadmaps address key capability gaps or desires of the community. Academic and government organizations can direct research investments and grants to achieve specific objectives highlighted in the white paper. These are lofty goals, but the hard work and diligence of the author teams have created a phenomenal series of articles, undoubtedly serve as a foundational reference for the healthcare simulation community for years to come.
The healthcare simulation community strives to improve patient care and create a safer, more effective healthcare system. Through innovation and the adoption of novel technologies, we can further this goal, making a lasting impact on healthcare education and ultimately improving patient outcomes.