AR Tool to help Health Workers to save lives.

By Dhwanit Balwani

Researchers from Purdue University have developed a unique Augmented Reality (AR)-based approach that allows experienced surgeons and physicians around the world to help less experienced doctors in war zones, natural disasters and in rural areas perform complicated procedures.

The technique features a transparent headset screen display that allows the mentee to see the patient in front of him or her, along with getting real time on screen feedback from a video monitor to view the AR speed and provide instant feedback to the field surgeon.

The AR headset worn by the mentee in the field is designed to replace the current telestrator technology, which uses a separate video screen and freehand sketches to provide feedback. The feedback uses computer vision algorithms to track and align virtual notes and marks from the mentor with the surgical region in front of the mentee.