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Registration Techniques for Clinical Applications of Three-Dimensional Augmented Reality Devices.
Christopher M Andrews1,2, Alexander B Henry2, Ignacio M Soriano2
1Department of Biomedical EngineeringWashington University in St Louis, McKelvey School of EngineeringSt LouisMO63130USA.
IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine
|January 25, 2021
Summary
Three-dimensional augmented reality (3D-AR) can enhance surgical procedures by overlaying patient anatomy. Current 3D-AR systems require improved registration accuracy for widespread clinical adoption.
Area of Science:
- Medical Technology
- Computer Science
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Clinical procedures often require real-time visualization of patient anatomy and surgical plans.
- Three-dimensional augmented reality (3D-AR) offers potential for improved spatial reasoning during interventions.
- Current 3D-AR devices exhibit spatial localization errors hindering clinical application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review methods, accuracy, and clinical applications of registering 3D-AR devices with the clinical environment.
- To explore techniques for enhancing 3D-AR registration accuracy.
- To assess the feasibility of 3D-AR for precise anatomical visualization during procedures.
Main Methods:
- Review of various registration approaches for 3D-AR systems.
- Inclusion of manual registration, computer vision-based registration, and external tracking systems.
- Evaluation of user accuracy in clinically relevant tasks.
Main Results:
- Accuracies of approximately 2 mm are achievable with current registration methods.
- 3D-AR headset hardware introduces additional errors (approx. 1.5 mm) compared to conventional guidance.
- Ongoing hardware advancements are expected to reduce these errors.
Conclusions:
- Improved 3D-AR registration accuracy is crucial for clinical integration.
- Registration methods show promise for precise holographic visualization on patients.
- Future hardware improvements will further enhance the utility of 3D-AR in clinical settings.
