During a recent visit to the QUIQ lab, Mindray brought along some of their latest technology: Augmented Reality ultrasound. Sonographers Chris Edwards and Jacqui Roots got to experience scanning with the device, and Jacqui shares their thoughts on the experience.
The Augmented Reality ultrasound was unbelievable! The ultrasound image is projected into the glasses, as well as visible on the phone for anybody else. I played around with visualising the superficial veins, as if preparing for a cannulation, and the compartments of the wrist. The transducer is cordless, and it was comfortable and easy to hold. I didn’t have to think about orientation or ergonomics, and it was simple to manipulate. I was expecting a delay (lag) between compressing the veins and the projected image, but it was surprisingly smooth!
I could put the AR glasses on over the top of my prescription glasses. The bug-eye AR glasses themselves are see-through (not like the glasses at those Zombie-shooting VR worlds), which let you still see the patient and the world around you. This meant that the ultrasound image was also see-through, and therefore the image had less clarity than a normal diagnostic ultrasound screen, understandably. I was really impressed that the glasses could track your eye movements. You actually adjust the settings like the depth and gain, or turn on colour Doppler by just staring at the appropriate holographic/augmented ‘button’.
I imagine that this technology would be particularly useful in a busy Emergency Department or a trauma setting. A health practitioner could complete their ultrasound assessment without cumbersome ultrasound trolleys or machines whilst simultaneously looking at the patient, the surroundings and other vital information in the real-world.
Overall, I was very impressed. It’s as if an ultrasound machine and a Sci-Fi movie had a love-child.
