The military is a dangerous profession. Often deployed to war zones and environmental disasters, military units frequently find themselves in remote locations and far from anything that could be considered expert help. And considering the life-or-death seriousness that hangs constantly in the background of everyday service, that can be a big problem.
But thanks to researchers from Purdue University,that may all be changing soon. Having developed a new method whereby doctors can perform complicated medical procedures in dangerous conditions, these researchers have broadened the spectrum of skills available to doctors using sophisticated augmented reality tools.
Essentially an advanced video chat which allows doctors to remotely draw freehand sketches over images, this technology now enables specialists to aid in warzones from the safety of the green zone. This, combined with a specialized headset that allows for large amounts of data to be transferred in real-time, is exactly what military personnel need to increase their efficiency in the operating room.
The one disadvantage to this method, however, is that it requires the operator to look at a separate screen. In the future, perhaps it will be possible for the surgeon to simply view a digital overlay on top of a patient’s body. But for now, that’s not the case.
While this new technology is still in the first round of clinical trials, another one is already being planned. Perhaps even more exciting is the fact that an additional test for a simulated battlefield is also in the works. Funded by the US Department of Defense,the research team at Purdue could be the ones who change the face of advanced medical procedures in high pressure situations forever.
What do you think about this new remote-viewing augmented reality medical treatment? Let us know in a comment!
