'Robocow' – a high-tech robot that simulates diseases

– We are the only veterinary department in Poland to have such high-tech equipment. Apart from us, only students at Utrecht, Royal Veterinary College London, University of Bristol and University of Edinburgh have access to such equipment – says Prof. Artur Niedźwiedź, Vice-Dean for Clinical Affairs of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the UPWr. He explains that the device uses haptic technology, where mechanical communication with users is achieved through the sense of touch, using changing forces, vibrations and movements. 

The simulator makes it possible to touch non-existent, virtual organs

– In other words, using the robotic arm we can touch non-existent, virtual organs, while at the same time receiving information, through the sense of touch, about the shape and size of the organ, its position and consistency. The haptic arm's power generation is possible thanks to engines located inside the robot, while the robot itself is set inside fibreglass casing that mimics the animal's hindquarters - says Prof. Niedźwiedź.

 The device is used in the teaching process of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-year veterinary students. In the first stage of training, the haptic arm allows the rectal examination course to be taught under physiological conditions. Together with the traditional phantoms, purchased by the department in 2020, learning with haptic devices allows for an initial cycle of training in rectal examination of cows and horses, well before the first contact with a living animal.

Simulating diseases at the click of a mouse

– The next stage of training with the haptic arm involves students on clinical placements. Haptic technology makes it possible to set up arbitrary clinical scenarios and simulate particular equine meningeal diseases, pregnancy or different phases of the ovarian cycle at the click of a mouse – says Prof. Artur Niedźwiedź.

He stresses that this aspect of training is absolutely unique, and difficult or impossible to carry out using conventional simulators, meaning that, for the first time ever, students will be able to access the most common pathologies within the digestive tract of horses and cows "on request". – What is important is that the supervising teacher can observe the entire examination process on a screen, and therefore have the opportunity to provide real-time guidance, correct the positioning of hands, which is not possible when examining a living animal – adds the UPWr scientist.

 The haptic arm, made by the British company Virtalis, was conceptualised and developed by Prof. Sara Baillie from the University of Bristol, a veterinary surgeon with extensive teaching experience, specialising in livestock and equine diseases, who also has a degree in computer programming. The university bought the equipment, which is used in the Department of Internal Diseases and the clinic of Horses, Dogs and Cats, for PLN 600,000.