Augmented Reality Remote Procedural Training and Proctoring

PI: Marc Tompkins

Overview: This project will be initiated within the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and led by the departmental educational team to provide enhanced remote educational learning opportunities for trainees. Using augmented reality (AR) where two video feeds are overlayed into one image, with 2 way audio, providers performing procedures can interact with trainees during a procedure via livestream. During the livestream, trainees can place their hand into the surgical field, as viewed on a screen in the OR, to ask questions related to the procedure or otherwise engage with the faculty during the procedure. Any videos recorded via livestream, or videos previously recorded in other formats, can be uploaded to the AR platform, and can be viewed by the trainees at any time. In addition, it is possible to remotely arrange a meeting, on the platform, between faculty and trainees to go over any videos in the library, at which time the AR functions can be used by the faculty or trainees to physically point out key items in the video. Each of these steps could involve multiple trainees, such that the procedural experience could be expanded to benefit multiple trainees at a time. The request would be to use the Proximie AR platform, which is a HIPAA compliant technology developed by surgeons, and previously used by the PI. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, our trainees are missing out on cases in which they would otherwise be involved, either because they are not allowed to join cases due to PPE shortage concerns, or because the cases simply are not happening. The trainees are obviously on a fixed timeline, so they need a way to get exposure to cases during this time, and both the livestream and video access provide a way to expose trainees while also engaging them with their faculty. 

Budget: $10,000

This project is supported by the UMN COVID-19 Medical Education Innovation Grants, which support full-time faculty (educators, investigators or clinical) or P&A educators at the University of Minnesota Medical School to develop education (basic science or clinical) and simulation projects related to COVID-19, more general pandemic-related knowledge and skills, or professional development activities that would be possible during this time of shelter at home.