New-Tech Europe | Sep 2017 | Digital Edition

Shaping Smarter Cities: More Than Meets the Eye: Augmented Reality in Medical Applications

Paul Pickering

AR inMedical Applications Vein Visualization Venipuncture, the technique of puncturing a vein to draw blood or deliver an intravenous injection, is one of the most common medical procedures. Some patients, though, present extra challenges, including the elderly, burn victims, drug abusers, and patients undergoing chemotherapy. Of the three million procedures performed daily in the U.S., an estimated 30 percent require multiple attempts before finding a suitable vein. Augmented reality can help. Huntington, NY company AccuVein uses noninvasive infrared (IR) technology to scan the target site and display the underlying vein structure. Because the hemoglobin in blood absorbs more red light than the surrounding tissue, the resulting

The Pokémon Go craze may have tapered off, but key takeaways remain: Users downloaded the mobile app more than 500 million times, and until the craze abated, hordes of fans flocked to malls, memorials, and even cemeteries trying to capture a rare virtual pocket monster or accrue points to progress in the game. What can we learn here? That augmented reality (AR) engages users and enables them to see and do what they couldn’t before. The social game that blended physical and virtual worlds propelled the AR to the forefront of technologies that have the potential to transform industries. What’s more, we can draw on how various industries like medicine have applied AR to ease procedures and educate practitioners.

image (Figure 1) shows the veins as a web of black lines on a background of red. AR vein illumination can increase the first-stick success rate by up to 3.5 times, which increases first- time success and leads to increased patient satisfaction, reduced pain, reduced workload, and reduced cost. In a surgical application, vein illumination can help the surgeon to identify the optimal incision site, which reduces bleeding and lowers costs. Surgical Navigation For surgeons, AR offers a hands- free and seamless way to access digital information while performing a delicate operation. German technology supplier Scopis has just introduced an application that combines Microsoft’s HoloLens

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