- Oculus Rift creator compares Google Cardboard to muddy water
This beautiful story that started badly takes place in Miami Children’s Hospital. At just 4 months old, young Teegan suffers from a heart defect and has only one lung. Surgery would then be essential to save this child’s life, but few surgeons seemed prepared to perform this high-risk operation on such a young child.
The main challenge of the surgery is the visualization of the different organs before attempting the surgery. If an MRI provides a good overview, it is not enough to have a good view of the different malformations in such a small area. This is where virtual reality comes into play.
A surgeon specializing in congenital heart diseases, Dr. At Burke’s initiative, a virtual reality headset was used to prepare for the operation. After 3D modeling of the heart, a simple Google Map and a smartphone allowed him to view the heart from all angles to minimize risks before attempting any operation.
I looked inside and could see the patient’s heart just by moving my head. I could translate. I could handle it. I could see as if I was in the operating room.
The surgery was a success, and Teegan’s parents can now look to the future more comfortably for their little girl. This is an innovative approach used by this surgeon who grew up in Silicon Valley and knows very well how to reconcile medicine with the latest technological advances. To see the short report on this operation, go here.
