The research focuses on two main areas. First, medical simulation-based training is investigated to ensure proficiency before practicing on patients. Additionally, in collaboration with Medisch Spectrum Twente, personalised Enhanced Recovery after Cardio-Thoracic Surgery is stimulated. Here, cardiac (p)rehabilitation is explored, emphasizing improving outcomes through movement and recovery. Lastly, surgical technology is assessed through design, clinical testing, and evaluation to ensure the effectiveness and safety of new technologies in surgical practice.
The Cardiac Surgery Innovations Lab is a joint lab in the Engineering Organ Support Technologies Group and Thorax Centrum Twente. Students and interns in Technical Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Health Sciences, Biomechanical Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering and Medicine are supervised in both locations.
meet OUR team and projects
Towards Smarter Simulation-Based Training in Healthcare
"My PhD project, part of the INSIDE:INSIGHT EU Doctoral Network, investigates how immersive simulation combined with real-time sensor monitoring can transform healthcare training. Simulation-based education is essential for developing both technical and cognitive skills, yet current systems rarely provide continuous, objective assessment. Mental workload, a crucial factor influencing decision-making, motor execution, and error recovery, is often overlooked or underestimated."
The research aims to integrate multimodal sensors into immersive training environments to capture fluctuations in workload and performance without disrupting task execution. These data enable adaptive, feedback-driven learning systems designed to optimize psychomotor skill acquisition, clinical reasoning, and error management.
By advancing evidence-based simulation strategies, the project aims to improve patient safety, enhance feedback quality, and create innovative educational tools that support more effective and accessible training for healthcare professionals.
A. Giangualano (Antonella)
PhD Candidate
EduECMO – Design of an educational Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation simulator
"I want to innovate acute patient care with the power of simulation-based training. Together we empower healthcare professionals to save patient lives with enhanced confidence, skills and knowledge in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) with the design of an educational ECMO simulator (EduECMO)."
dr. F.R. Claybrook (Fay Rhianna)
Researcher
A new approach of delirium screening after cardiac surgery: impact for patients and healthcare professionals
"As advanced nurse practioner in Thorax Centrum Twente I experience the impact of delirium after heart surgery for patient, their relatives and healthcare professionals. I have multiple questions I would like to answer in my external PhD-project. How can we improve delirium screening by using single channel EEG technology, or nurse-reported screening tools? What are nursing staff experiences on using this single channel EEG?"
M. Ten Broeke (Miarca)
PhD Candidate (Guest)
