Augmented reality helps to save lives in war zones

The AR headset worn by the mentee in the field is designed to replace current telestrator technology, which uses a separate video screen and freehand sketches to provide feedback. “There is an unmet need for technology that connects health care mentees in rural areas with experienced mentors,” said Edgar Rojas Muñoz, a doctoral student in industrial engineering, who worked on the project. “The current use of a telestrator in these situations is inefficient because they require the mentee to focus on a separate screen, fail to show upcoming steps and give the mentor an incomplete picture of the ongoing procedure.”

The Purdue system features a transparent headset screen display that allows the mentee to see the patient in front of them, along with real-time on-screen feedback from the mentor. That mentor is at a separate location using a video monitor to see the AR feed and provide instant feedback to the field surgeon.

Purdue’s system uses computer vision algorithms to track and align the virtual notes and marks from the mentor with the surgical region in front of the mentee. “Our technology allows trainees to remain focused on the surgical procedure and reduces the potential for errors during surgery,” Muñoz said.

The U.S. Department of Defense supported the research as it looks to connect its medical professionals out in the field with specialists back at the bases who can provide critical guidance during procedures.

The Purdue technology has gone through a round of clinical evaluation and will soon go through another one. In the next few months, the technology will be tested at a Navy base in Virginia, where mentees and mentors will experiment with a simulated battlefield.