TXDLA 2015 Presentation: Using Unity3D for Creating Simulations for Healthcare

The Team
Emin Saglamer
Technical Lead
Project Manager
Megan Trad Ph.D.
Instructor
Subject Matter Expert
Steven Lux
3D Artist
Unity3D Designer
Anthony Harrison
Unity3D Lear Programmer

Linear Accelerator
Use of Radiation Theraphy in the Fight Against Cancer
 One of three main treatment modalities in
the fight against cancer
 Linear Accelerators deliver ionizing
radiation
 Goal is to kill cancer cells while minimizing
effects to healthy cells
 Both a high technology and high touch
field

Training
Radiation Technicians
Education
 Four year Bachelors Degree
 120 total credits
 Combination of didactic and clinical
coursework
 American Registry of Radiologic
Technologists certification exam
 Dictate clinical competencies
 Provide licensure exam

Radiation Therapy Program
RTT 3301 / Introduction to Radiation Therapy
Classroom three days a week
Clinical two days a week
Students Struggle with
 Balancing patient skills with technology
 Fast pace of clinics
 Therapists not interested in teaching
basics

Challenges Radiotherapy Education
 Explaining technology through lecture and 2D images
 Students so focused on learning technology in clinic they do not
learn to communicate appropriately with patients
 Connecting classroom concepts with clinical experience
 Lack of available time on treatment units
 Desire to bring hands on practice to the classroom

Why Use a Simulation?
 Give students enough time to practice core concepts.
 Need for a learning environment not limited by:
 Location & business hours
 Staff availability
 Student safety concerns
 High availability & Low Risk Immersive Learning Environment
that reproduces the simulated environment with just enough
detail and accuracy to train students.

Instructional Technologies Support
 Instructional
Systems Design
 Research &
Development Team
• LMS, CMS, ePortfolio Support
• Graphic Design, Photography Services
• Video Production Studio
• Academic Computing
• Classroom Technologies

Partnering with ITS
 GIT is a resource grant.
 All faculty including adjunct can apply.
GIT Projects should:
 Incorporate an educational technology to enhance
instruction online or in the classroom.
 Have limited scope.
 Last no longer than a year.
Grants for Instructional Technology (GIT)

Project Timeline
January 2013
Scenario & Exercises
Drafted
March 2013
Iterative Storyboard
Drafting
June 2013
Storyboard Complete
July 2013
3D Art & Assets Created
August 2013
Technical Design of
Framework in Unity3D
September 2013
Content Created in
Unity3D
November 2013
Exercises Created
January 2014
Testing & Debug
April 2014
Ready for Class Use

Platform Independent
 Web Based Plugin
 Downloadable App
 Mobile Device Compatibility
Portable Assets
 Compatible with Second Life
Target Platform

Linear Accelerator
Live Demo
http://id.its.txstate.edu/linac

Major Components of the Simulation
 Treatment Room
 Room Lasers – isocenter
 Linear Accelerator
 Treatment Head
 Patient Support Assembly
 Patient
 User Interface / Head Unit Display

Reference Materials Gathered
 Scenario / storyboard
 Basic functional specs & photos
 Treatment room plans
 3D models & textures
 Sound clips
Gathering Data for the Simulation

Development Platform – Maya
Creation & Modeling of 3D Assets
 Linear accelerator
 Gantry
 Table
 Treatment room
 Room lasers
 Refinements to Patient Model
 Animations for Patient

Development Platform – Unity3D
Unique Development Environment
 Consolidate all game assembly tasks
 Asset management features
 Preview as you build
 Quick publish and test
 C# and Javascript coding
 Third party tools by other developers

Development Platform – Unity3D
What was missing in Unity3D
 Timeline based animations for multiple objects
 Highlighting
 GUI Interface elements
 Fonts
We Used the following plugins
 USequencer
 Highlighting System
 NGUI

Technical Innovations
 Time Based animations used in Unity3D using
Usequencer.
 Marrying Highlighting System with Usequencer.
 Synchronizing audio playback with animations.
 Using CSV to synchronize three developers and do
version control.
 Exporting Unity3D project to multiple platforms.
 Porting the project to Second Life in less than three
weeks.

Treatment Room
Simulated Treatment
Room

Linear Accelerator
In Second Life
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/UTHSC%20Houston%20I/45/93/26

Putting the Project in Front of Students
Two classes so far have utilized the virtual linear accelerator module.
Many students identified that they are visual learners to this helped them
better understand the class content.
Question Class of 2015 Class of 2016
How helpful is this module in
learning basic concepts of
radiation therapy
a. Extremely helpful 14(100%)
b. Helpful
c. Unhelpful
d. Unsure
a. Extremely helpful
16(100%)
b. Helpful
c. Unhelpful
d. Unsure

Student Feedback
“This is amazing and will help so many
students in the future. It could even help
patients. We have some patients at our
clinics that want to see the gantry rotate
around them and know what it does
exactly. This could help ease anxious
minds of patients. I loved it.”
-student comments
“
“I really enjoyed this module, it would have
been super helpful before entering the clinics! It
was easy to navigate and I enjoyed the
questions. I like this idea a lot too because it
gives new students a lot of useful information
so once they enter a clinic they will not be
completely out of place, they will have some
bearing on the machine.”
-student comments
“
“This would have been so helpful for our first
semester in the program”
-student comments
“

Lessons Learned
 Students really enjoy learning in the virtual environment and
have requested other topics be taught in this manner.
 It takes time and dedication to create a high quality simulation.
 Most institutions and organizations have grants and programs
that support online teaching activities – you just have to be
proactive and apply for them.
 Blended teams are stronger than the sum of their parts.

Technology Lessons Learned
 Consider user base when choosing target platform.
 Use universal file formats for your core assets.
 Purchased 3D assets can be a mixed blessing.
 Invest time in file naming schemes & organization.
 Version control is not a luxury, it is essential!
 Development for mobile devices still has gotchas.

Next Steps
 Continue to monitor students response to the simulator
 Apply for grants to continue work on the project to add
new exercises
 SBMI Informatics Innovation Lab Collaboration
• Integrating Oculus VR type headsets
• Continue mobile device development
• Create additional exercises / case scenarios

TXDLA 2015 Presentation: Using Unity3D for Creating Simulations for Healthcare

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TXDLA 2015 Presentation: Using Unity3D for Creating Simulations for Healthcare

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