Philips is combining its Azurion image-guided intervention platform with Microsoft's HoloLens 2. The this headset displays images that help surgeons navigate their way through the human body during minimally invasive operations.
Philips and Microsoft announced this at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain. The HoloLens 2 is a so-called 'Mixed Reality' headset introduced by Microsoft at this year's MWC. This headset allows a virtual layer to be projected onto the physical world, adding additional elements to the world. For example, it is possible to project instructions and explanations onto the glasses, allowing a user to read these instructions while performing actions.
What is Mixed Reality?
Mixed Reality is a counterpart of two other technologies: Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. Whereas with Virtual Reality, a user is completely in a virtual world, Augmented Reality actually complements the physical world with virtual elements. This is also the case with Mixed Reality. The difference between Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality is that in the latter technology, physical and virtual elements are barely distinguishable from each other, if at all. This blurs the line between reality and virtual.
The ability to project virtual images can be of great value to surgeons performing minimally invasive operations. For instance, this type of surgery involves operating through one or a few small incisions in the human body. Because of these minimal incisions, the surgeon has no direct view of his own actions during the operation. To still get this view, imaging technology such as X-rays and ultrasound is used.
Image: Philips
Azurion platform
Philips developed the Azurion platform for this purpose, which has been available for some time. Launched in early 2017, this platform is a total solution for image-guided interventions. Azurion is combined with the HoloLens 2, Microsoft's Mixed Reality headset.
"The transition from open surgery to image-guided procedures has created a shift in improving patient outcomes and reducing costs - including shortening patients' hospital stays after their treatment," explains Atul Gupta, chief medical officer for Image Guided Therapy at Philips.
Keeping focus on the patient
"On our Azurion platform, we integrate a range of data sources in a way that is intuitive to understand and use. By partnering with Microsoft and HoloLens 2, we are taking this to the next level, immersing the doctor in a customised augmented reality environment. This concept allows me to see the real world complemented by live data and 3D medical images needed for accurate operations. Last but not least, it also lets me control Azurion with my voice, eye movements and advanced gestures. It's all about being able to keep focus on the patient," Gupta said.
"Mixed Reality gives people new ways to interact with the digital and physical worlds, bringing the benefits of the digital revolution to entirely new experiences," said Alex Kipman, Technical Fellow AI & Mixed Reality at Microsoft. "I am delighted to see companies across a wide range of industries achieving more by deploying the products we have developed with our partners and ecosystem. Mixed Reality has tremendous potential in healthcare, and our collaboration with Philips shows that we are on our way to realising this potential."
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Philips
Source: Microsoft
