augmented reality surgery with CAMDASS

‘CAMDASS’ (‘computer assisted medical diagnosis and surgery system’) is designed to help deep space astronauts perform medical interventions on one another

developed by the european space agency for future astronauts, the ‘computer assisted medical diagnosis and surgery system’ (‘CAMDASS’) is an augmented reality prototype to help non-experts accomplish medical interventions. ‘although medical expertise will be available among the crew to some extent,’ explains biomedical engineer arnaud runge, ‘astronauts cannot be trained and expected to maintain skills on all the medical procedures that might be needed.’

‘CAMDASS’ utilizes a 3D head-mounted display, linked to an infrared camera to track an ultrasound device. AR markers are placed on a patient’s body to indicate important sites, and the system calibrates the display relative to the viewer’s and patient’s positions. the headset displays floating markers that, when aligned with the real markers on the patient’s body, indicate that the ultrasound probe (or other device) is in the right location.

‘CAMDASS’ has already been tested at the saint-pierre university hospital in brussels, belgium. it currently functions only with ultrasound, which is available on the international space station, but the research team anticipates its integration with other devices for additional surgical procedures. the system would provide the assistance needed by responders in deep space, as well as in developing areas or remote locations.

rendering of the system

AR view of the way in which a user is guided to properly align the ultrasound probe

prototype testing

via popsci