Seeing Makes the Difference: Augmented Reality in the OR

Although many surgeries, including spinal procedures, have been much improved with robotics in recent years, the additional technology has created associated issues with its use in the space constraints of the operating room (OR). This is especially true with monitors and their small screen sizes, which make it difficult for surgeons to see details during procedures. Solving such problems and finding the optimal position for viewing as well as ensuring integration with current technology were primary objectives in the development of iSight, a wireless augmented reality (AR) system designed by Dr. Chetan K. Patel, MD, in collaboration with startup Altair Innovations [1]. Patel is an orthopedic spine surgeon and executive medical director for spine surgery at AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute (Figure 1).