G-coder Systems participated at a VR conference in Skövde Sweden Oct 22-23 arranged by the national association “Modelling and Simulation in Sweden” MOSIS (www.mosis.se). The theme of the conference was the use of Virtual reality in medical care with many visitors being pioneers in using VR in daily medical care.

In the exhibition area G-coder displayed our simball 4D station for simulation of endoscopy. Lots of positive response was given among the visitors appreciating the easy-to-use dimension of simball.

A special focus on the conference was on the emerging area of Virtual rehabilitation, virtual training of patients suffering from stroke, MS or other disabilities. Extensive research has been made the last 10 years indicating positive effects using various types of input devices together with different types of gaming modules.

G-coder is currently performing a pre-study whether the simball concept can add values also in this segment. Contacts with researchers and terapeuts have been taken to better understand the emerging market situation and demand specifications on the input device for that application.

At the conference G-coder displayed some prototype handles for Virtual rehabilitation also including a special gaming module made by Ayeware AB in Trollhättan in Sweden.

“G-coder Systems regards Virtual Rehabilitation as a potential exciting segment. The pre-study is an important tool for us for further decisions how to possibly approach this segment”, says CEO Jonas Nilsagård. “ Displaying the prototype handles at the conference for the medicine experts among the researchers and terapeuts have give very useful feedback”.

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The simball 4D joystick was originally developed for simulation training of endoscopy in general and especially laparoscopy. After the general success since launching 2007 G-coder Systems now stepwise will increase the number of applications for simball 4D.

In order to enable further application development the simball 4D hardware has been integrated with the software platform H3D API from Sensegraphics AB in Stockholm, Sweden. By this integration it is now possible to use the dual open source H3D API to develop sophisticated applications where the user can interact with simball 4D in virtual environment requiring 4D tracking.

Jonas Nilsagård, CEO of G-coder Systems says: ”Sensegraphics software development platform has a large user base amongst researchers and universities all around the world. The porting of our hardware with H3D API from Sensegraphics allows us to spread the knowledge and use of our simball 4D joystick in a time and cost effective manner.”

In addition, G-coder Systems has developed new handles. Except for the standard grasper (left image above) a close to reality camera handle (right image above) for endoscopic simulation is now launched. It includes functionalities like zoom, focus and image locking and enables the surgeons to train their ability to navigate the camera in a virtual body.

Moreover a special knob (left image) handle for virtual training of stroke patients has been developed. Although still in an early phase it is one of the prioritised new segments for the further application developments for simball 4D. Pilot studies will be performed during 2008 to verify the benefits for stroke patients with virtual training using simball 4D.

“The handle flexibility is really one of the real strengths of the simball 4D concept and will enhance the number of potential application segments for simball 4D”, continues Jonas Nilsagård. “Stepwise building a handle assortment is therefore a key issue for us”, he summarizes.   



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The unique dot pattern applied on the ball surface

After three years of development G-coder Systems AB of Gothenburg, Sweden launched their simball 4D joystick concept Dec 2007. The mechanical joystick design is based on a unique ball joint solution. The number of degrees of freedom in one moving component is thereby maximised.A very robust and cost effective 4D joystick is created!

There was only one problem, how should the movements of the ball joint accurately be detected?

The simball 4D sensor unit with ball joint and the embedded camera, light and chip components.

Example of image captured by the embedded camera. Dot diameters: Large: 0.8mm, Small: 0.5 mm

One G-coder detects movements in both x- and y-axis as well as rotation around z-axis. The accuracy is very high, movements of 0.002-0.004 mm of the ball joint surface can be detected with the current camera and algorithm platform. Thanks to the dot pattern the detection is absolute; no calibration whatsoever is needed. The simball 4D joystick can be turned off an on again; the G-coder still knows where it looks on the ball surface. Image sensors used in various types of track balls for laptops are not absolute thereby not at all achieving the same robustness or accuracy level.

The G-coder technology is size and cost effective and is easy to embed and to communicate with via USB and an easy-to-use API. Except for simball 4D ball joint other applications have been defined where G-coders can add value. One example of a potential area is measurement of angle position and torque in rotating shafts.

The most common restriction with conventional position sensor technology is the need for using one sensor for each axis of freedom. Conventional solutions for 3D or 4D joysticks are therefore very complex and expensive.  simball 4D joysticks and G-coder sensors change the situation radically!

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Among many applicant companies G-coder Systems was nominated candidate for the prestigious Innovation & Technology Award 2008. The Award is part of the fourth Innovation & Technology Exhibition at Kista in Sweden May 8 organised by STING, Stockholm Innovation and Growth.

Thirty of Swedens most promising tech start-ups present their innovative ideas and products at the exhibition, G-coder Systems is one of them. The award, 150 000 SEK, will be handed out at a prize ceremony at the end of the day. At the exhibition both entrepreneurs, investors and various potential customers and users have the chance to meet and study the candidate companies.

"We are very happy for the nomination", says Jonas Nilsagård, Managing Director of G-coder Systems and one of the two co-founders. "It is a confirmation on our own thoughts and ambitions with the company and our simball 4D joystick", he adds.

More info on the Innovation & Technology Award and Exhibition can be found on
http://www.innovation-technology.se/home/index.asp?sid=6835&mid=1

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After three years of development G-coder Systems AB of Gothenburg, Sweden, could start serial delivery of their new and patented simball^TM joystick concept for advanced simulation. “The simball^TM concept has a potential of being a market leader in various simulation segments”, says Jonas Nilsagård, CEO and one of the founders of the company. 

Initial focus is medical simulation, an area with strong growth. Thanks to the simulation exercises surgeons are trained in a very cost effective manner. One of the world leaders in simulation software for laparoscopy, Surgcial Science AB of Sweden, is the first customer of simball^TM joysticks. 

A simball joystick is designed around a ball joint that can rotate in three dimensions of freedom. The movements of the ball are detected by a patented sensor technology based on “machine vision”. The key elements are advanced image analysis algorithms and a special dot pattern laser marked on the ball. The surgeons training instrument is movable through the ball thereby also detecting the linear movements. All in all it means that the movements of the edge of the training instrument can be detected with an accuracy of less than 0.1 mm.

In advanced simulation position feedback from four degrees of freedom (4DOF) is a minimum requirement. Without a ball joint conventional solutions are mechanically complicated and very expensive with many quality sufferings and user frustration.

“A ball joint is really the natural way to create many degrees of freedom in one component”, says Olle Takman, CTO and co-founder. With the simball ball joint as base a decision was taken to create the world´s most user-friendly joystick. The fundamental features of simball are flexibility, ergonomics, robustness with long service life, accuracy and easiest possible installation. “Thanks to our self-developed and patented sensor concept no calibration of the joystick is needed whatsoever, it is really plug’n play”, Olle means. 

One other unique feature is the modularity; several different types and categories of training instrument can be used with the same ball joint sensor unit. The length of a training instrument can be up to 150 cm! 

Currently two instrument types are available for simulation of laparoscopy with grasper respectively camera functionality. According to Jonas Nilsagård the general market response in medical simulation has been overwhelming during the last months of launching.G-coder Systems will continue to add instrument categories for other simulation areas than simulation of laparoscopy. 

Due to the simball ball joint design the product complexity and costs have been possible to keep on a reasonable level. simball joysticks are said to be very price competitive without sacrificing the prestanda. “The high price levels on conventional joysticks for medical simulations have negatively influenced the general growth and penetration rate for medical simulation. The simball combination of prestanda and price competitiveness can actually substantially contribute to have medical simulation more often used as training method”, Jonas continues. 

Both Olle and Jonas are since earlier experienced entrepreneurs which has been most useful for the first pioneering years of the company. Already inquiries and positive interest from new customers in various segments - for example computer animation – have been obtained. “We will continue in our efforts stepwise build the company and business; we strongly believe in our concept”, Jonas declares. 

The development of the technology and business has required capital. G-coder Systems early contacted ALMI Företagspartner Väst in Gothenburg for financial assistance. “We believed in the product and the people and offered them various types of solutions”, says Tarja Berge at ALMI Väst.

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The launching takes place at the medical fair Kirurgveckan in Stockholm Aug 20-24. At this fair the new tracking device is displayed together with the pioneer customer, Surgical Science AB of Gothenburg in Sweden, world leader in software for simulation of laparoscopy. With the simulation surgeons are trained to be better surgeons in a more safe and cost effective manner.

"With our simball tracking device the surgeon simulation is further enhanced and taken closer to reality", says Jonas Nilsagård President and CEO of G-coder Systems AB. "It will be exciting to see how surgeons using simulation will react on the new device alternative".

The cooperation with Surgical Science started in 2005. "Our cooperation with Surgical Science has been really fruitful", says Olle Takman CTO of G-coder Systems. "Working so close with a local and leading pioneer customer has led to an efficient development process". 

The task when starting in 2005 was to create the world's most user-friendly joystick for demanding simulation and process control. With the ball-joint design manouvre flexibility and robustness were assured. A new sensor technology - G-coder sensors -for detecting the movements of the ball joint was invented and patented. No calibration is needed whatsoever, it is plug ‘n play.  G-coder also offers various accessories like a tailormade table and special handles.

simball tracking devices and joysticks will add values in several other application segments. "We will focus on simulation of laparoscopy for the moment, but can see a huge potential on many other segments", sums Jonas Nilsagård up.

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