1. A method of medical training comprising:
presenting a user with a medical scenario within a medical simulation in which the user plays a physician, wherein the medical scenario comprises an interaction between the user and a patient;
identifying performance data corresponding to the user, wherein the identified performance data is based at least in part on an action of the user during the interaction between the user and the patient; and
evaluating the user based at least in part on the identified performance data to determine whether the user has achieved a training goal within the medical simulation, wherein the training goal is intended to improve a medical skill of the user.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing feedback to the user based on the identified performance data.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the feedback comprises a comment based on the action of the user during the interaction between the user and the patient.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the feedback comprises a consequence within the medical simulation, wherein the consequence stems from the action of the user during the interaction between the user and the patient.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning an avatar to the user.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an avatar selection from the user.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the user with a second medical scenario within the medical simulation in which the user plays a second patient, wherein the medical scenario comprises an interaction between the user and a second physician.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified performance data comprises at least one of a diagnosis of the patient made by the user, a satisfaction level of the patient, a trust level of the patient engendered by the user, a question asked of the patient by the user, a response from the user to a question from the patient, a test run on the patient by the user, and an audiovisual representation of the interaction.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction comprises an attempt by the patient to seek medical help.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient lies to the user about a medical condition of the patient during the interation.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction takes place in a medical setting within the medical simulation.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the medical setting setting comprises at least one of a hospital and a medical clinic.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the training goal comprises an accurate diagnosis of the patient by the user.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the training goal comprises convincing the patient to follow a prescribed treatment regimen.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the training goal comprises achieving a specific patient satisfaction rating.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient comprises a computer controlled patient.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient comprises a second user.
18. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with a teaser, wherein the teaser comprises a negative consequence that will be realized if the interaction between the patient and the user is unsuccessful.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the training goal comprises preventing the negative consequence.
20. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving personal information regarding the user.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the personal information comprises at least one of a strength of the user, a weakness of the user, a profession of the user, and a skill of the user.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the personal information is used to establish the training goal.
23. The method of claim 20, wherein the personal information is used to determine a characteristic of an avatar of the user.
24. The method of claim 20, wherein the personal information is used to determine a status of the user within the medical simulation.
25. The method of claim 1, wherein an avatar representing the user within the medical simulation exhibits a real-world characteristic of the user.
26. The method of claim 1, further comprising upgrading a status of the user within the medical simulation if the user has achieved the training goal.
27. The method of claim 1, further comprising enhancing an avatar of the user if the user has achieved the training goal.
28. The method of claim 1, wherein communication between the user and the patient during the interaction is implemented through free form speech.
29. The method of claim 1, wherein communication between the user and the patient during the interaction is implemented through text in a dialog box.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the text in the dialog box is selected by the user from a plurality of text choices.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the plurality of text choices are established by a medical professional.
32. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with a graphical model of a feeling or emotion of the patient.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the feeling or emotion of the patient comprises at least one of happiness, satisfaction, anger, trust, fear, and nervousness.
34. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with medical information such that the user can make a diagnosis of the patient.
35. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with a diagnosis of the patient.
36. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with a truthful statment corresponding to an untruthful statement provided to the user by the patient.
37. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor, cause the processor to maintain a medical simulation, the instructions configured to:
present a user with a medical scenario in which the user plays a physician, wherein the medical scenario comprises an interaction between the user and a patient;
identify performance data corresponding to the user, wherein the identified performance data is based at least in part on an action of the user during the interaction between the user and the patient; and
determine, based at least in part on the identified performance data, whether the user has achieved a training goal within the medical simulation, wherein the training goal is intended to improve a medical skill of the user.
38. A system for medical training comprising:
a medical training engine, wherein the medical training engine comprises computer code configured to
generate a medical scenario within a medical simulation;
present the medical scenario to a user, wherein the user plays a physician within the medical scenario;
identify performance data based on an action of the user within the medical scenario;
determine, based at least in part on the identified performance data, whether the user has achieved a training goal within the medical simulation, wherein the training goal is intended to improve a medical skill of the user; and
increase a status of the user within the medical simulation if the user has achieved the training goal;
a memory configured to store the medical training engine; and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the medical training engine.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A multi-material additive manufacturing method for fabricating objects, the method comprising:
providing an extrusion printhead comprising a chamber, an orifice, at least two material flow channels communicating with the chamber, and a plunger able to controllably move within the chamber;
advancing a first material into the chamber through a first material flow channel;
extruding the first material through the orifice to form a first extrudate;
advancing the plunger into the chamber to substantially purge the first material;
withdrawing the plunger;
advancing a second material into the chamber through a second flow material channel;
extruding the second material through the orifice to form a second extrudate, wherein the second extrudate comprises substantially only the second material and substantially none of the first material.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the rate of advancement of the first material is decreased and the rate of advancement of the plunger increased when the volume of the first material in the chamber is adequate to complete the first extrudate.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the advancing the first material and the extruding the first material are substantially simultaneous.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the extruding the first material and the advancing the plunger are substantially simultaneous.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the plunger and the chamber are shaped according to geometric solids selected from the group consisting of spheres, cones, and cylinders.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the withdrawing occurs subsequent to moving the orifice away from the extrudate.
7. A multi-material additive manufacturing method for fabricating objects, the method comprising:
providing an extrusion printhead comprising a chamber, an orifice, at least two material flow channels communicating with the chamber, and a rotating element;
advancing at least two materials into the chamber through separate material flow channels to contact the rotating element;
rotating the element to mix the materials; and
depositing the mixed materials through the orifice to form an extrudate, wherein the extrudate comprises a mixture of the at least two materials.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the rotating element is a plunger able to advance into and substantially fill the chamber.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least two materials differ in visual appearance.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least two materials are components of a silicone elastomer.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein a volume of the first material advanced is different in magnitude from a volume of the second material advanced.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the magnitudes vary continuously in time as the extrudate is formed.
13. The method of claim 7 where the rotating element can also translate within the chamber and substantially purge material from the chamber.
14. An additive manufacturing method for fabricating objects, the method comprising:
providing an extrusion printhead comprising at least one material flow channel, an orifice, and an energy source;
advancing at least one material requiring energy to cure through the at least one material flow channel and extruding it through the orifice to form an extrudate;
exposing the extrudate to energy from the energy source upon extrusion, wherein the extrudate is substantially cured.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the energy source is a jet of heated gas.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the energy source is infrared light.
17. The method of claim 14 wherein the energy source is a heated surface.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein the energy source is light.
19. The method of claim 14 wherein the printhead moves and the extrudate is deposited along a toolpath and wherein the exposing occurs to a region of the extrudate that has just been deposited.
20. The method of claim 14 wherein the energy source rotates around the orifice relative to the fabricated object.
21. The method of claim 14 wherein the energy source surrounds the orifice.