From 2Pac Shakur’s hologram performance at Coachella a few years ago to life-like gaming, augmented reality (AR) is clearly here to stay. In medicine, one company is pioneering the use of AR to revolutionise the way surgeons perform heart surgery and other invasive procedures.
An earlier version of The HOLOSCOPE-i, by US-based Realview, promised to allow surgeons to see a three-dimensional and accurate scan of the human heart floating above them during surgery. The system would allow physicians to work with a patient’s true 3D anatomy, appearing as a precise, interactive hologram floating in mid-air.
Now, the device is scheduled for release later this year. The device will be the first commercial system allowing clinicians a true holographic experience, with full and direct control of the 3D images in real-time during the procedure. Surgeons will be able to rotate, zoom, slice, mark and measure within the floating hologram before taking a scalpel to the patient.
This ability enhances the planning and performance, which enables safer and faster procedures with improved patient outcomes.
