Advancing Interventional Healthcare One Simulation at a Time

Image-guided surgeries are complex, highly inaccessible environments for researchers hoping to improve interventional healthcare. However, simulations offer readily available, easily controlled environments for replicating these surgeries in a scalable fashion. By enhancing learning- and physics-based simulations, we unlock new possibilities for embodied systems such as automated algorithms and immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences. In this talk, I discuss efforts to advance various simulations—from pre- and intra-operative imaging to dynamic surgical workflows and the entire operating rooms—in tandem with fully realized embodiments such as robotic assistance systems, augmented reality guidance, surgical phase recognition algorithms, and VR training curricula. Through synergistic connections among these applications, simulations emerge as a catalyst for innovation shaping the future of interventional care and improving patient outcomes.

About Benjamin:

Benjamin Killeen is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the Advanced Robotics and Computationally Augmented Environments (ARCADE) research group, led by Mathias Unberath. In 2023, he received the Link Foundation Fellowship for Modeling, Simulation, and Training, supporting his work on interactive digital twins for surgical training. He has served as president of the LCSR Graduate Student Association at JHU and on the MICCAI Student Board in multiple roles. His professional experience includes internships at IBM Research, Epic Systems, and Intuitive Surgical. In 2019, he earned a B.A. in Computer Science with Honors and a Minor in Physics from the University of Chicago.