Thursday
13
Mar
Augmented Reality with Google Glass for Surgeons
Droiders, an official Google Glass applications development start-up, today launched MedicAR, a new application which combines augmented reality and Google Glass™ to improve the simulation and teaching of certain procedures in surgery and patient care.
The MedicAR application also represents a potential new aid to improve safety issues in surgical interventions, especially for common procedures among junior surgeons and even for uncommon ones among experts.
During a recent demonstration, Dr. Homero Rivas, assistant professor of surgery (digestive surgery) and director of innovative surgery at Stanford University, connected the wearable device from Google to Droiders’ MedicAR application, and using an anatomical human model, performed an open reduction and internal fixation of a left complex clavicular fracture.
The demonstration took place in the Goodman Simulation Center at Stanford. A video of the MedicAR demonstration is available here:
Dr Homero Rivas – Stanford University Medical Center
The MedicAR application requires a target to be temporarily tattooed on the patient’s skin.
The surgeon and his assistant then direct their Glass to the target, which reveals the augmented reality on their screen, showing all aspects of a given surgery.
Afterwards, procedures are clearly displayed step by step.
For example, it could start by displaying the skin incision, the use of retractors to provide adequate exposure of the area, the core surgical treatment and finally the closure of the incision.
The project we are revealing today was the next logical step in our collaborative efforts with Dr. Rivas. We teamed up last summer to perform a transatlantic live-streamed operation through Glass, a first in telemedicine at the time, using our own streaming solution.
Julian Beltran – founder of Droiders
Shortly after, we were among the very first Glass developers to introduce augmented reality into Glassware
Droiders’ MedicAR application for Glass uses Qualcomm® Vuforia™, a software platform that enables apps to see and connect digital experiences to physical products.
