The Future of Spatial Computing in Healthcare
Channel: medVR Medical XR Bootcamp and Accelerator
Date: 27/08/2020

Talk Overview


The future of technology captivates audiences. So does spatial computing. This is a unique approach to answering the question about the future of VR and AR in healthcare. We have three experts, working in the field of VR and AR in healthcare today, a neurologist, an expert from the FDA, and a technologist with 15 years of experience in virtual worlds, currently, a Ph.D. candidate working at the intersection of extended reality and healthcare. The panel will be moderated by a leading industry expert and author.


The panel will be moderated by Irena Cronin
CEO, Infinite Retina, Spatial Computing Expert and Co-Author of The Infinite Retina, A book on Spatial Computing


The panelists will be:


Andrea Kim, M.S.
Medical Extended Reality Staff Fellow at FDA


Julie LeMoine
Chief Innovation Officer, HorizonIRs


Okeanis E. Vaou, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurology, Tufts School of Medicine and BUSM, Director of Movement Disorders, St Elizabeth's Medical Center


For more information please visit our website: https://medvr.io/online-talks/upcoming?id=future_spatial_heathcare

Chapters:
(00:06:07) - Use of spatial computing in surgery, medical education, and neurodegenerative diseases:
Dr. Okana Bao discusses her work as a neurologist and the use of spatial computing in medical education and telehealth during COVID-19.

(00:13:33) - Potential impacts of spatial computing in the next few years and long term:
Julie LeMoine emphasizes the acceleration of spatial computing adoption due to COVID-19, the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, and the potential for spatial computing to empower laypersons guided by experts in the future.

(00:20:33) - Challenges and barriers to implementing spatial computing in healthcare:
Julie LeMoine shares her experience with research ethics and the challenges and costs associated with conducting rigorous research in spatial computing for healthcare, highlighting the importance of proving effectiveness and viability in research efforts.

(00:36:19) - Research on optical properties and XR:
The speaker discusses ongoing research related to optical properties and XR technology, including a multi-omnidirectional VR treadmill and augmented microscopes. They highlight the importance of understanding the optical properties of VR headsets and the challenges posed by chromatic aberrations. The research aims to characterize these optical aberrations across different headsets to ensure accuracy and consistency in XR applications, particularly in medical contexts.

(00:40:33) - Hollywood Effect and misconceptions about spatial computing:
Julie LeMoine discusses the "Hollywood Effect" and misconceptions surrounding spatial computing, highlighting the gap between Hollywood portrayals of advanced technology and the reality of implementing spatial computing solutions. She emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary expertise and rigorous research to achieve successful outcomes in spatial computing applications, particularly in healthcare.

(00:52:37) - Standardization in the medical community:
Julie LeMoine emphasizes the challenge of standardization in the medical community regarding spatial computing technologies. She compares it to the collaborative efforts that led to the development of internet standards and underscores the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and shared standards to address the complexity of spatial computing applications in healthcare.

(00:55:36) - FDA's approach to XR technology testing:
Andrea Kim discusses the FDA's approach to testing XR technology, highlighting the initial focus on device evaluation without human perceptual aspects. She explains the challenges posed by the variability of XR applications and headsets, making automated testing difficult. Andrea emphasizes the need for tailored evaluation based on the specific application and associated risks.

(01:00:19) - Barriers to implementing VR/AR in hospitals:
Okeanis E. Vaou, MD, emphasizes that the main barriers to implementing VR/AR in hospitals are not technical but rather related to efficacy and cost-effectiveness. They highlight the need for proof of improvement in patient outcomes and physician workflows to justify investment in these technologies. Julie LeMoine agrees, emphasizing the critical role of sponsoring researchers to generate the necessary evidence through rigorous research.

(01:13:53) - FDA guidelines for evaluating XR technologies:
Andrea Kim, M.S., discusses the FDA's approach to evaluating XR technologies. She explains that while the FDA considers predicates for similar applications, the wide range of XR applications necessitates a case-by-case evaluation. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach, and each application is assessed based on its specific characteristics and intended use. This tailored evaluation ensures that regulatory standards are met for each XR technology.