Simulating Skin
to Save Lives
Imagine suturing the wound of a soldier, but there is no blood.
Or treating a patient with a dangerously high fever, but their skin
is room temperature. These unrealistic scenarios are commonly
found in medical training, yet they fail to prepare students in an
essential skill – the ability to perform under psychological stress of
a real-life situation.
Leading simulation companies, such as SIMETRI, are striving for
more life-like technologies as students train to heal, mend and
treat patients. With funding from the Florida
High Tech Corridor’s Matching Grants
Research Program, Orlando-based SIMETRI
is collaborating with University of Central
Florida (UCF) researchers to develop
advanced materials that more closely
simulate human skin.
Dr. Jiyu Fang, UCF associate professor for
mechanical, materials and aerospace engineering, is leading
the research team at UCF’s Advanced Materials Processing and
Analysis Center. Mirroring the construction of human biopolymers,
the simulated tissue invented by Fang’s team not only responds
to external stimuli, such as a change in temperature, but can also
bruise and bleed.
“When we warm up, our face turns red, or if it’s cold, we
turn blue,” Fang explained. “At UCF, we’re working with
SIMETRI to develop simulated tissue that can show this
kind of response in terms of the temperature and color.
We are trying to integrate functional material into the
simulated tissue to mimic how the human skin responds
to the environment.” The team is also researching how to
simulate sweat.
SIMETRI is using the simulated tissue in its construction of replicated
body parts and patient manikins.
“It makes training more realistic and immersive, so people are
convinced of a simulated event, versus a manikin that looks like
a doll and doesn’t worry the trainee about the outcome,” said
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florida.HIGH.TECH 2016
Angela Alban, SIMETRI president and
CEO.
“But if the skin is bruising or you can see
or feel change in temperature and color
in the skin, those types of things trigger
responses that make the trainee more
nervous.”
The project has potential to advance
medical training outcomes and redeine
industry standards – an achievement
augmented by The Corridor’s matching
funds. The matching grant enticed
Alban to partner with UCF rather than
searching for an expert out of state. It
also allowed Fang to enlist the help of
two graduate researchers, who have
been instrumental in the project’s
advancement.
“We try to ind experts within The Corridor
because we know we have the potential
for additional funds that will help offset
some of the cost while having access to
top talent and researchers at UCF,” said
Alban. “It’s easy and beneicial for a
small business like ours to work with the
universities and the Florida High Tech
Corridor.”