Simulation cart

Abstract

A cart for transporting a simulation system configured to control a simulation manikin, a recording system configured to record information about a simulation session, and a playback display device configured to display a playback of the recorded information. The cart includes a cart body supported by a plurality of wheels, and a power supply coupled to the cart body. The cart body has an upper work surface, and an interior storage space configured to store the manikin. The work surface is configured to support user input devices configured to provide user input to the simulation system, and the recording system. The playback display device is mountable to first and second spaced apart upright support assemblies mounted on the cart body. The power supply is connectable to an external power source, and configured to provide power to the simulation manikin, the playback display device, and the simulation and recording systems.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cart for transporting a simulation apparatus or system, an image recording device configured to capture information during a simulation session, and a recording system configured to receive the captured information and record simulation information based at least in part on the captured information, the cart comprising:
 a plurality of wheels;   a cart body supported by the plurality of wheels, the cart body having one or more storage spaces configured to store the simulation apparatus or system, and the recording system, the simulation apparatus or system and the recording system both being operable when stored on the cart; and   a support mounted on the cart body, the image recording device being mountable to the support and positionable by the support to capture the captured information during the simulation session, the image recording device being configured to transmit the captured information to the recording system which receives the captured information and records the simulation information for subsequent playback.   
     
     
         2 . The cart of  claim 1 , wherein the image recording device transmits the captured information to the recording system via a wired or wireless connection. 
     
     
         3 . The cart of  claim 1 , wherein the simulation apparatus or system comprises one or more digital simulation software programs. 
     
     
         4 . The cart of  claim 1  for use with the simulation apparatus or system includes one or more anatomically representative manikins, wherein the one or more storage spaces are configured to store the one or more anatomically representative manikins. 
     
     
         5 . The cart of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more anatomically representative manikins comprise a simulation manikin is configured to simulate less than a patient's entire body. 
     
     
         6 . The cart of  claim 4  for use with the simulation apparatus or system comprising an air compressor configured to be connected to the one or more anatomically representative manikins to supply air thereto, wherein the one or more storage spaces are configured to store the air compressor. 
     
     
         7 . The cart of  claim 1  for use with the image recording device being a first image recording device, the captured information being first captured information, the cart being for use with a second image recording device configured to capture second captured information during the simulation session, the simulation information being based at least in part on the second captured information, wherein the support is a first support, and the cart further comprises:
 a second support mounted on the cart body and spaced apart from the first support, the second image recording device being mountable to the second support and positionable by the second support to capture the second captured information during the simulation session, the second image recording device being configured to transmit the second captured information to the recording system which receives the second captured information and records the simulation information for subsequent playback. 
 
     
     
         8 . The cart of  claim 7  further comprising:
 at least one power supply coupled to the cart body, the at least one power supply being connectable to an external power source, and configured to provide power to the simulation apparatus or system, the recording system, the first image recording device, and the second image recording device. 
 
     
     
         9 . The cart of  claim 7  for use with a playback device configured to generate a display based at least in part on the simulation information, wherein the playback device is mountable on the first and second supports. 
     
     
         10 . The cart of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a mounting bracket coupled to the first and second supports, the mounting bracket being configured to mount the playback device to the first and second supports.   
     
     
         11 . The cart of  claim 7  wherein the first support comprises a first boom arm assembly, the first image recording device being mountable on the first boom arm assembly and movable therewith relative to the cart, the first boom arm assembly being configured to position the first image recording device at a first desired recording location; and
 the second support comprises a second boom arm assembly, the second image recording device being mountable on the second boom arm assembly and movable therewith relative to the cart, the second boom arm assembly being configured to position the second image recording device at a second desired recording location. 
 
     
     
         12 . The cart of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second boom arm assemblies are configured to be adjustable to permit the cart to be pushed or pulled through a conventional door. 
     
     
         13 . The cart of  claim 7  for transporting the recording system comprising a recording display device, and the simulation apparatus or system comprising a simulation technician display device, the cart further comprising:
 a display device mounting system coupled to the first and second supports, the simulation technician display device being mountable to the display device mounting system and positionable at a first viewing location, the recording display device being mountable to the display device mounting system and positionable at a second viewing location. 
 
     
     
         14 . The cart of  claim 13  wherein the display device mounting system comprises a plurality of spaced apart tracks, and the cart further comprises:
 a first mounting assembly coupled to one or more of the tracks of the display device mounting system, the first mounting assembly being slidable within the one or more of the tracks when coupled thereto, the first mounting assembly being configured to mount the simulation technician display device on the display device mounting system, the first mounting assembly being configured to position the simulation technician display device at the first viewing location; and 
 a second mounting assembly coupled to at least one of the tracks of the display device mounting system, the second mounting assembly being slidable within the at least one of the tracks when coupled thereto, the second mounting assembly being configured to mount the recording display device on the display device mounting system, the second mounting assembly being configured to position the recording display device at the second viewing location. 
 
     
     
         15 . The cart of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of wheels comprises a wheel lock that when engaged prevents the wheel from rotating, and when disengaged allows the wheel to rotate. 
     
     
         16 . The cart of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wheels comprise multi-directional casters. 
     
     
         17 . The cart of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one power supply coupled to the cart body, the at least one power supply being connectable to an external power source, and configured to provide power to the simulation apparatus or system, the recording system, and the image recording device while the recording system, the simulation apparatus or system, the recording system, and the image recording device remain on the cart. 
 
     
     
         18 . The cart of  claim 1 , wherein the cart body comprises a bottom portion, and
 the bottom portion comprises at least one opening or cutout configured to allow one or more cables to pass therethrough.   
     
     
         19 . The cart of  claim 1 , further comprising a front portion configured to face a plurality of human participants,
 the support comprises a boom arm assembly, the image recording device being mountable on the boom arm assembly and movable therewith relative to the cart, the boom arm assembly being configured to position the image recording device at a desired recording location, the boom arm assembly being mounted on the front portion of the cart,   the cart comprises a work surface, and   the boom arm assembly is configured to position the image recording device above the work surface, and in front of the front portion of the cart.   
     
     
         20 . The cart of  claim 1  configured to travel on the plurality of wheels through a conventional doorway. 
     
     
         21 . The cart of  claim 1 , wherein the cart body comprises a work surface configured to support at least one user input device operable to provide user input to at least one of the recording system and the simulation apparatus or system. 
     
     
         22 . The cart of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one user input device comprises at least one first user input device configured to provide user input to the simulation apparatus or system, and at least one second user input device configured to provide user input to the recording system. 
     
     
         23 . A cart for transporting a simulation manikin, a simulation system configured to control the simulation manikin, a recording system configured to record information about a simulation session for subsequent playback, and a playback device configured to display a visual representation of the recorded information, the cart comprising:
 a plurality of wheels;   a cart body supported by the plurality of wheels, the cart body having a storage space configured to store the simulation manikin, the simulation system, and the recording system, both the simulation system and the recording system being operable when stored on the cart; and   at least one support mounted on the cart body, the at least one support being configured to have the playback device mounted thereto.   
     
     
         24 . The cart of  claim 23 , wherein the simulation manikin is configured to simulate less than a patient's entire body. 
     
     
         25 . The cart of  claim 23  for use with an image recording device configured to capture information during the simulation session, the recording system being configured to receive the captured information and record the recorded information based at least in part on the captured information, wherein the at least one support is configured to have the image recording device mounted thereto. 
     
     
         26 . The cart of  claim 23 , wherein the cart body comprises a work surface configured to support at least one user input device operable to provide user input to at least one of the simulation system and the recording system.