The rapid development of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) devices has created interest in leveraging these technologies across a wide range of clinical applications. Spatial Computing incorporates emerging technology that connects virtual space and the real world seamlessly and augments the user’s vision, enhancing situational awareness and enables physicians to visualize relevant information where it is needed which, in turn, improves efficiency and facilitates better outcomes.
This talk introduces some of the concepts as well as the challenges in extended reality. It discusses the architecture and implementation of an interactive mixed reality platform for the training and practice of medical procedures. The ecosystem takes into account that a procedure’s success depends not only on the clinician’s skill but on the harmonious operation of all the involved elements in the clinical theater. The presentation also provides examples of how these immersive platforms could be used in various clinical scenarios and their effectiveness in terms of reducing errors, system performance, and usability. Finally, it will touch on the implications of immersive technology for the future of healthcare.
Speaker Biography
Ehsan Azimi is an Assistant Professor at the School of Nursing and Director of Research at the Center for Immersive Learning and Digital Innovation at the Johns Hopkins University. He completed his Ph.D. in Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University. Ehsan is passionate about the intersection of technology in healthcare. His research focuses on extended reality, robotics, and human-centered design. He has developed novel display calibration methods and new user interaction modalities for smart glasses that improve surgical navigation and training of medical procedures. His work has been covered in the Engineering Magazine as well as the other media outlets. He also implemented techniques for robot-assisted cochlear implant placement, intraocular robotic snake, and needle steering. Before joining Johns Hopkins, he worked at Harvard Medical School where he innovated a method that improves the resolution and dynamic range of a medical imaging system.
Dr. Azimi holds multiple patents, and his work has led to over 20 peer-reviewed articles in journals and conferences. He was named a Siebel Scholar, received the Provost Postdoctoral Fellowship as well as the Link Fellowship. Ehsan served as a mentor for several students and scholars in their projects and studies.