Mixed reality applications in urology: Requirements and future potential

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology
• Urology
• Computer Science

Background:

• Mixed reality (MR) integrates real and virtual environments, increasingly impacting medical fields like urology.
• Applications span education, training, and surgical procedures within urology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current mixed reality technologies and their specific applications in urology.

Main Methods:

• A non-systematic literature review was conducted.
• PubMed-Medline database was searched using terms like "mixed reality", "virtual reality", "augmented reality", "urology", and "augmented virtuality".

Main Results:

• MR technologies like guided systems, VR headsets, AR models, and smart glasses show promise in urology education and training.
• MR aids in gaining experience for medical students, residents, and urologists, and is used for patient education.

Conclusions:

• Current MR accuracy is often insufficient for surgical support due to challenges with organ rigidity and data acquisition.
• Despite challenges, significant progress in MR technology is continuously narrowing the gap for urological applications.