Mobile Augmented Reality for Distributed Healthcare: Point-of-View Sharing During Surgery

This research examines the capabilities and boundaries of a hands-free mobile augmented reality (AR) system for distributed healthcare. We use a developer version of the Google Glass head-mounted display to develop software applications to enable remote connectivity in the healthcare field; characterize system usage, data integration, and data visualization capabilities; and conduct a series of pilot studies involving medical scenarios. This paper presents the software development and experimental design for a pilot study that uses Glass for augmented point-of-view sharing during surgery. The intended impact of this research is to: (i) examine the use of technology for complex problem solving and clinical decision making within interdisciplinary healthcare teams; (ii) study the impact of enhanced visualization and auditory capabilities on team performance; and (iii) explore an AR system’s ability to influence behavior change in situations requiring acute decision-making through interaction between centralized experts and point-of-impact delivery personnel. Keywords—ambient; systems; distributed; healthcare; teambased collaboration; head-mounted display, surgery; wearable computing.