Digitalisation is transforming how information is shared and communicated in the medical fields. The global market for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in healthcare was estimated at $1.5bn in 2022, and is expected to hit $13bn by 2032. AR enables users to overlay digital content in headsets or microscopes – then directly interact with data virtually and in real time. These technologies are unsurprisingly enhancing diagnostics, and the ability of surgeons to see digital content like CT scans during procedures, both of which can de-risk complex surgeries and improve outcomes.

Not that operating theatres are the only places to be transformed by these new technologies. At the cusp of Industry 4.0, after all, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are now adopting AR on the factory shop floor too, transforming accuracy and efficiency as AR takes process standardisation to new heights.

For Dr John Ahmet Erkoyuncu, a professor in digital engineering at Cranfield University, the potential of AR in healthcare and manufacturing is “huge” – but comes with persistent challenges. That includes design and data accessibility, technical issues with tracking, and the need for more research and clinical testing, and that’s before you factor in a range of legal hurdles. From patent and intellectual property issues to security and privacy, regulators are still navigating the use of AR tech in factories and virtual environments.

AR might be ready to use, but experts say there is work to be done in how this technology is developed. Image Credit: Zapp2Photo/ www.Shutterstock.com

High demand

Increased global demand for medical devices – especially amid healthcare staff and resource shortages – requires manufacturing to find more efficient ways to deliver products without jeopardising quality. Quality management for device manufacturing is especially critical given the stringent need for devices to operate safely for both medical staff and patients. Such a complex assembly process requires intricate manufacturing steps under stereo microscopes, which may lead to human error, potentially compromising the quality of the equipment. Global medical device regulations have more than quadrupled from 500 in 2015 to over 2,000 in 2023, emphasising the highest-quality standards regulators require for devices while highlighting the absolute necessity for manufacturers to meet these standards.

To counter this, microscopes are now integrating cutting-edge AR technology. A good example are Evident’s SZX-AR1 AR microscopes, which enable users to overlay text and images digitally over the microscope’s field of view. That, in turn, makes it easier to follow directions and read notes – users no longer need to move their eyes away from their eyepieces – permitting them to stay focused on the medical device at hand and ultimately lowering the risk of mistakes. Equally enabling assemblers to pinpoint issues in the manufacturing process, AR ensures greater quality management for assemblers on the production line. According to a white paper by the Augmented Reality for Enterprise Alliance (Area), indeed, AR guidance during changeover procedures can lead to 40% fewer errors and 25% faster changeover speed.

“Where there are questions around the efficiency of tasks, could we speed up various operations without hindering safety by leveraging AR?” asks Erkoyuncu rhetorically. “There’ll be huge cost savings and resource efficiency improvements. The question is, where are the quick wins? In which areas would it be more beneficial to prioritise cases – where developing this makes more sense?”

40%
The percentage of fewer errors AR guidance during changeover procedures can lead to, with 25% faster changeover speed.
Augmented Reality for Enterprise Alliance

AR microscopes also enable assemblers to call upon third-party software such as Microsoft Teams, collaboratively sharing their view from eyepieces with off-site managers and engineers. That, in turn, saves on travel costs, allowing workers to fix troubleshooting issues more promptly, ultimately preventing delays to production schedules.

$1.57bn
The estimated global market for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in the healthcare industry in 2022, which is expected to hit $13.74bn by 2032.
Towards Healthcare

AR can bolster production workflows in other ways – not least when it comes to training. Training for medical device set-up and configuration is traditionally delivered using complicated operating procedure documentation, with manuals and 2D diagrams making it time-consuming and complicated for assemblers to follow. AR can aid in training assemblers using a standardised approach. According to Area, indeed, ensuring prospective assemblers receive the same digital lessons can speed up training times by 60% and potentially reduce human error by 90%. No less important, AR enables trainers to follow along with their trainees in real time remotely, even as they can add instructions and user prompts directly in the field of view. Video can also be used for trainees to learn and practice in the absence of a trainer.

Erkoyuncu believes that AR-inflected training cannot simply be imposed on reluctant workers. Image Credit: Party people studio/ www.Shutterstock.com

For Erkoyuncu, combining AR with VR and AI will be essential in achieving real-time data analysis and improved confidence, from surgical outcomes in healthcare to training assemblers on the production line. Because they sharpen efficiency and reduce excess workloads, meanwhile, machines like the SZX-AR1 help plug the skills gap, with assemblers onboarded more quickly and efficiently – and without the need for laborious training sessions. Medical manufacturing company Medtronic is an example of how successful this approach can be in practice. According to a company case study, after all, the medical device giant saved $33,000 per individual on every worker trained via AR, even as staff.

A standardised approach

Yet if Erkoyuncu reiterates that “training and skills” are clearly important, he equally notes that AR-inflected training can’t simply be imposed on reluctant workers. “If you engage with different staff, the appetite to adopt these technologies varies,” he warns. “We should question why there is hesitance in some cases, to understand whether this is due to a lack of awareness or fears of the technology. We have to go down the digitalisation path, especially amid huge resource challenges. The key question is where we digitalise and how.”

90%
The percentage decrease of human errors as a result of AR training, with improved training times of 60%.
Augmented Reality for Enterprise Alliance

That’s echoed by broader worries. For if AR technology might be ready for use, experts believe there is still work to be done in how this technology is developed, and where it is applied for increasingly intricate and complex processes.

“There has to be an approach where you can trace the evidence, and at the moment I think there’s some gaps there,” says Erkoyuncu. “There’s still some work to be done in developing the technology, but I think it can be done.”

London-based maxillofacial surgeon Dr Kavin Andi has similar concerns. Though he concedes that Moore’s law means that rising computational power allows for better 3D image manipulation – especially when dovetailed by new chip architecture and AI – he isn’t as convinced about AR in other areas. Sensors still have a long way to go, he says, “with one of the huge challenges today being registration and tracking”.

Given the data collected through AR sensors provides manufacturers and medical staff with improved traceability, enabling them to thoroughly examine manual processes, this is clearly important. That’s especially when traceability offers manufacturers a comprehensive view of the entire production process, facilitating the identification of areas for improvement, bottlenecks or defective processes.

Design issues

Speak to Andi, however, and arguably the biggest problem with AR technologies involves the design of wearable systems.

“Certain components are developing faster than others, but we’re not there yet, in terms of what is required,” says Andi. “Hardware is a huge problem, such as headsets and displays. While lens technology has been improving over the years, there are still limitations with field of view and resolution. We also need the hardware to become thinner and lighter. If you’re going to be in an operating theatre, most complex procedures take several hours. If we’re going to utilise that technology, then it needs to be comfortable to wear.”

The same principle can be applied to those working on the assembly line, where discomfort could affect the factory operations – and ultimately pose a risk to manufacturing quality. Andi, for his part, also notes his frustration with the ergonomic design for AR wearable equipment not being adaptable for different users.

“It clearly affects depth perception,” he says, urging that AR equipment be designed with “more diversity in interpupillary distance” so as not to “exclude potential users”.

Among other infrastructural requirements, Andi calls for increased targeted funding and research, along with continued teamwork between manufacturers, medical staff, and policymakers to further AR’s development sufficiently. Given AR has the potential to accelerate processes with greater accuracy and productivity – while efficiently training workers in a more engaging and digitised manner – such collaboration surely makes sense.