Playground is a training platform for a robotic-assistive surgery system, supporting Memic (Nasdaq MTAC) proprietary robotic platform for abdominal single and multi-port surgery.

In parallel to the development of Memic system we've been asked us to assist in the development of its training system. A training platform that not only increases the surgeon's dexterity using the robotic arm but also gains trust in the platform.

At Flamingo Works, we've taken a step aside from the awkward attempts to mimic the human body with dolls or replicas of organs for training purposes, instead, both the medical and educational angles approached with a refreshing perspective.

We've gamified the training process, the tasks and the challenges at hand don't represent the human body or tissue or any typical tasks a doctor may run into daily; rather, the idea is to incorporate something entirely different, adding as much fun, color and achievement feeling to the process.

Playground is a training platform incorporates a set of challenges, such as pick n' place, thread through rings, and other tasks on which the training surgeon challenge and built his or her skills. Some of the challenges are complexity driven while others focus more on time and performance. All the challenges are SLS 3D printed production method which enabled us to perform quick modification during the development process.

Currently, the system is used as an integral part of the surgeon training plan on Memic robotic's platform before performing human procedures and keeps evolving with new tasks and challenges.

Playground training platform aims to increase the surgeon's dexterity using the robotic arm and to gain trust in the new operating system. The Playground platform shifts surgeon's training into playing. The gamification of the learning enables direct hands-on practice with the system, yet stress-free and failure-safe.

We've applied the gamification method in several tasks with different difficulty levels. The challenges based on 'fine motor skill improvements' methods shifted into a new context at the Playground platform.

The Playground platform gamifying the training process, the tasks and the materials at hand don't represent the human body or tissue or any typical tasks a doctor may run into daily; the Playground platform engaging the surgeons differently - adding fun, color and feeling of achievement to the learning process. Several challenges designed to assist in the new human-robotic interaction based on familiar games shifted into new context:Targets, entry-level task, a series of geometric, colorful shapes on which the surgeon's needs to touch or avoid in different spots without accidental knock down.

Buzz-Wire challenge, based on the familiar children's game, in which every contact between a metal ring and a shaped wire (both electrically wired) causes a buzzer to buzz. The game modified to the Playground platform by challenging the surgeon to follow a shaped path while the robot arm's gripper holds the ring. In addition, the surgeon required to move the 'ring' from one gripper to another adding more complexity.

Thread-Board, an advanced challenge, a series of rings positioned on an angular board through which the surgeon needs to thread a wire. The threading technique requires the usage of both robotic arm's grippers at the same time for succeeding at the task. The very same technique is needed for internal abdominal surgical stitching.

Currently, the system is used as an integral part of the surgeon training plan on Memic robotic's platform before performing human procedures and keeps evolving with new tasks and challenges.