Virtual reality technology that will allow trainee surgeons to learn and practise on "virtual patients" is being trialled at Nepean Hospital in Sydney this week.

The technology, developed by scientists at the CSIRO, combines 3D images with an artificial sense of touch to create a realistic simulation of surgical procedures. Users not only see realistic "organs", they can "feel" and manipulate them too.

The trial is the first in a series that will assess the new technology, gather feedback from surgeons and compare the virtual reality system with other training systems.

"The results of all the trials will show us what aspects of the system are useful and effective for training and how to improve it," says Dr Matthew Hutchins, CSIRO computer scientist and virtual reality expert.

"They will tell us how realistic the images and touch feedback need to be to make the simulation useful for learning and practise."

In the initial trials at Nepean, novices, trainees and experienced surgeons will use the system to perform key-hole surgery to remove a gall bladder from their virtual patient.

"Initially, we'll be comparing the results from experienced surgeons and novices to see whether it is possible to measure surgical skill with this simulation," explains Dr Peter Cosman, a surgical trainee who is studying new technologies for surgical training at the University of Sydney.

During the trial, surgeons will use instruments inserted through a key-hole incision in a dummy abdomen while viewing a simulation of what is happening inside the "patient".

The secret of the technology lies under the surgical drapes ? a robotic arm resists the movement of the instruments in the same way that real organs would resist being moved or cut. This makes the surgery feel real, even though the organs don't exist.

"We're very interested in this technology," says Dr Pat Cregan, a surgeon at Nepean Hospital.

"We believe that virtual reality technology will be important in training the next generation of surgeons. It promises to provide faster and better training."

CSIRO and Western Australian company Medic Vision are working together to develop the technology into commercial training modules. If the trials are successful, they plan to have the prototype modules deployed in surgical skills training centres within a year.

The trial is taking place at Nepean Hospital, Division of Surgery, Derby Street, Kingswood.

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