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Journal of Hand Surgery (British and European Volume)
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The Virtual Hand

The Pulvertaft Prize Essay for 1996

N. W. WILLIAMS

From the Department of Plastic Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK

Correspondence: Mr N. W. Williams, Department of Plastic Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield S5 7AU, UK.

Virtual reality technologies are now at a stage in which the various disciplines can be brought together to construct a virtual human hand. Devices can be constructed to record multiple joint positions accurately in clinical environments. Joint prostheses may be tested virtually before undergoing clinical trials, albeit in a simple way at present, but may eventually be incorporated into a virtual model of the hand and driven by goniometric gloves. This will allow more detailed analyses of implant in situ behaviour. These exciting developments will provide a huge advance in our understanding of the functions of the real hand and also a potential way of assessing outcomes in a simple and repeatable fashion. We are on the edge of a new era in hand surgery when the computer scientist, biomechanic, control engineer, hand therapist and surgeon will be able to alternate between the virtual and the real world in producing better outcomes for patients.

Journal of Hand Surgery (British and European Volume), Vol. 22, No. 5, 560-567 (1997)
DOI: 10.1016/S0266-7681(97)80345-2
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