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Simulation Control tab

This tab is the primary interface for interacting with the live simulation. It is used to manipulate the catheter's pullwires and manage the state of the physics simulation.

Catheter Motion Controls​

This section allows for the control of catheter deflection by simulating pullwire displacement. The controls shown will automatically adapt based on the catheter's pullwire configuration (e.g., the Y-axis control is only enabled for four-pullwire designs).

  • Jog Control (X & Y): This control incrementally adjusts pullwire displacement.

    Clicking a button jogs the position in the indicated direction (+X, -X, +Y, or -Y). Each of the three rings corresponds to a different step size, allowing for fine, medium, or coarse adjustments. Clicking the Home button resets that axis to its zero position.

  • Deflection Input Box Located below the dials, this field serves two functions:

    • Readout: It displays the current commanded displacement for the axis.
    • Direct Input: A precise numerical value for deflection can be typed directly into the box.

Additional Controls​

  • Gravity: Toggle gravity inside the simulation on and off and set the gravity vector direction.
  • Goal Seek: Use one of the quick set buttons or enter an angle and VirtuCath™ will adjust the pullwire displacement to achieve the target angle.

Proximal Shaft Fixture​

  • Constrain proximal shaft: Emulates a bench fixture or anatomy (such as a hemostasis valve) that rigidly holds the shaft straight along its proximal length, so only the free distal length deflects. A yellow ring is drawn on the shaft in the 3D Viewer to mark the fixture point: everything proximal of the ring (toward the base) is held straight, and everything distal of it keeps deflecting under pullwire tension. This is enabled by default at 150 mm from the tip.

    Set the distance from the tip to slide the ring. It moves live, with no model rebuild, so you can reposition the fixture while the simulation runs. Uncheck Constrain proximal shaft to let the entire shaft deflect freely. Catheters shorter than the set distance are unaffected — the ring sits at the base and no joints are locked.

Simulation Controls​

  • Run/Pause Simulation: This is a toggle button that controls the physics engine. When the simulation is paused, the button text is "Run Simulation". When active, the text changes to "Pause Simulation".
  • Reset: Stops the simulation, resets the catheter to its initial straight configuration, and clears all data.

Why simulations pause after five minutes: The physics engine keeps accumulating state as long as it's running, even when the catheter is idle and nothing is changing on screen. Pausing automatically at the five-minute mark caps that memory growth on long-running sessions. Click Run Simulation to resume; the loaded model and current deflection state are preserved, so the simulation picks up exactly where it left off.