Human Anatomy: Applications of Mixed Reality in Medical Education

I. Abstract

With the click of a button or a tap on the screen, we could have the entire world at our hands but now it is possible to have it in front of our eyes. Technology is gradually advancing to change hand-held devices to wearable devices. Medical Education has been in dire need of technologies that can replace the old school and expensive cadaver dissection but at the same time keep the precision intact. In this paper, we aim to conduct an in-depth survey on the technologies that can help our future doctors to learn without jeopardizing accuracy and precision. Mixed Reality, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are the three technologies that can make this happen. We will review the technology extensively to reach the correct conclusion on whether it is the right source. We will also review the earlier models created in the field and in related fields to get an extensive overview. The paper shall be concluded with the best thought-out potential techniques and methods for revolutionizing education in the field of medical sciences.

Keywords: Mixed Reality, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Medical Education

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II. Introduction

Virtual Reality or VR is entirely a computer-created view of the world whereas Augmented Reality or AR overlays the computer-generated images as well as sounds onto the real world. Mixed Reality or MR is somewhere in between them. Also known as Hybrid Reality, this technology is what produces both an immersive and an interactive environment.

• Virtual
• Reality
• Augmented
• Reality
• Mixed
• Reality

AR, VR and MR have undeniably dazzled the audience with its effects in the field of gaming and entertainment and now it is an upcoming technology in the field of medical sciences. The field of medicine is a very vast field that requires a lot of understanding. Precision and accuracy are the most important elements in the medical field. Considering this, technology must grow in order to provide better, more comfortable and cheaper learning methods. This can be achieved duly by AR, VR and MR. By wearing MR glasses and using the technology one can easily see an organ from all dimensions required. The dissections of the human anatomy can be carried out with utmost precision. The beauty of the entire thing is that it is almost like a lifelike human organ. The perfection that the technology provides is just undeniable. Along with this the interactivity between students and the professor becomes easier while the professor explains the entire concept. This technology tends to appeal due to its visual characteristics. The opportunities for research are great due to this developing technology. The practice of this technology in the field is increasing worldwide giving students hands-on experience. It tends to deliver a situational experience for the learners. Practicing this technology in the medical field is indeed a low-risk practice and prevents a lot of patient harm. Greater diversity and complexity in procedures can be achieved with this. This technology is slowly turning into a new reality. The market of Mixed Reality in the field of Medicine is going to see a boom in the coming few years. By reviewing various papers and understanding the techniques implemented in them a project model is in being implemented to execute AR, VR and MR in the field of medicine.

III. Literature survey

The survey topic was chosen according to the interest in the field and for acquiring a deep knowledge of the topic. Initially, the information about the topic was acquired through various sources of the internet. The literature survey was conducted after viewing a lot of published papers. All the papers with the query title of Mixed Reality in Medical Education were required. The papers based on this query input were searched in the publishing repositories. The relevant papers were found and searched thoroughly.

1. Tells about the characteristics and applications of Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality. These technologies have created quite a large base of applications for its developers and users. The paper also takes into consideration the effects on a person due to the long use of this wearable technology. Out of the three, Mixed Reality has been described as a more forward-looking technology in the medical field. The applications in healthcare practices have been studied in-depth. Stanford University uses the Google Glass AR technology for Autism treatment. It helps children with autism to interpret and realize other people’s emotions and in the future interpret the emotions without Google Glass but with memories and previous practices. VR exposure therapy helps a person to deal with anxiety and fear, in medical terms Acrophobia, claustrophobia, etc. The AR Phantom Limb Pain treatment also helps the patient interact with their amputated limb to provide a therapeutic effect. The applications of these technologies in medical education has been noteworthy. Human anatomy teaching has been made easier and more comprehensive with AR and VR technology. This time and cost-saving method has indeed made explanations easier and available for wide and repeated use. VR surgery simulation is becoming a common practice among doctors to prevent operational errors.
2. Investigates the use of AR in lung anatomy and respiration. The paper aims to enhance the understanding of AR in human lung anatomy. The research method used is DBR i.e. Design-based research. The DBR method searches for design space and along with that checks what happens in the iterations when the implementation is taking place. This investigation is carried out both on teachers as well as students. The application Anatomy Alive was iterated 3 times in different classes for 60 minutes. The data was carried out through DBR, it included 25,30,25 students of the anatomy and physiology lesson. The class was given a problem to solve after being divided into 6 groups. Video recordings of the lessons and students' assignments and evaluations were taken up. The analysis was done in order to check the relationship between the body, technology and picture in the specific use of the app. The analysis showed a variety of things including the description given by students of what they visualized from the app, their interaction in the room and the search of content from the application. The Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE) approach shows the results as that the students can take their own time and actions which they deem fit to understand the lung anatomy in humans.
3. Presents the specifications and importance of the Virtual Reality Medical Training System in the field of medicine. This system was developed in order to build a solid anatomical base for medical students to help them in future endeavors. The 3D heart model used in the system was developed by an Industry standard modeling application involving several techniques and tools. The construction of the complex geometry in the 3D heart model was done by using polygon-based modeling techniques. The model has been constructed and deployed in Unity 3D along with C# programming language to create a real-time and interactive VR environment. The model has been developed in close consultation of medical professionals and doctors for absolute precision and accuracy. The model includes all the major parts and sections of the heart with differentiating color schemes of the flesh. The system has several functionalities available for the students and teacher, like the dissection of the heart in layers, the rotate and zoom feature, the highlighting of a structure in the model, the resetting of the structure after changes in the orientation. Additionally, anatomical knowledge and information is provided for all structures. A quiz interface to examine the students has been designed for the teachers. Along with this, the students can also use this for self-assessment. The semi-immersive environment to for the students to gain a deeper understanding of the structures can be delivered through the remote manipulation of 3D data in VR or a common mouse/keyboard. The evaluation of the model was done by medical experts and doctors who were presented with a questionnaire with 10 questions using the 7-points Likert scale. The results were encouraging with only a few minor changes. The system presents an educational aid that helps medical students to learn in an interactive and immersive environment and gain knowledge through visuals.
4. Aimed to recognize the applications of virtual reality technology in medical group teaching. The study was reviewed through several papers from different publishing repositories. The papers were then selected based on some parameters. The results of this study give some data which is useful in analyzing the use of VR in the field of medicine. The results of the paper show that VR was used in laparoscopic cases in 11 cases which is about 48% of the survey. The VR technology has improved the learning experience in 17 cases which amounts to 74% of the studies and it has also reported higher accuracy in medical practices in almost 20 i.e. 87% of the studies. The paper suggests that Virtual Reality should be tried on different medical groups to improve their learning experience.
5. Aims to provide clarity of concepts to the users in a real-world environment through 3D visual objects. The main hardware required for segmented reality are a processor or a CPU which analyses the data to synthesize and position augmented objects. It also requires a display to output the augmentations. Sensors are also required in order to interact with the system. Hand gestures, eye gaze, posture etc can be inculcated as gestures for the system. The input devices used for the augmentations can be a joystick or a trackball, a pressure-sensitive stylus, a data glove, etc. Augmented reality can be viewed in two types of view i.e. the source view and the user’s view.
6. Aims to focus on the recent developments in the field of Mixed Reality in education. The paper identifies the present trends for MR and provides guidance for future work. The paper gives an overview of the present systems and the challenges for future work. Body movements, hand gestures and voice commands can be used to interact with virtual objects in an MR environment. Depth cameras can be used to keep the position of the user’s hand in track and set up a touch-free gesture-controlled interface. The students are prone to e attracted and engaged when interacting with the MR interface, but they lose their interest as soon as the connection is lost. MR technology has had a huge response in the field of gaming. These interfaces are thought of as playing games that tend to develop more interest and motivation in the users. The mobility and the content of the application is something that matters a lot. The mobility of the application is important as mobile devices have become a part and parcel of life. MR needs to have changes and updates in the software and hardware for users to have a hassle-free experience.
7. Offers the advantages and disadvantages of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technology in a natural user interface or NUI. The AR/VR technologies are undoubtedly interactive, and attractive and provide realism for medical students to work with but they do lack empathy and emotion. There has been an influx of AR/VR technology in the market today. Several devices in all kinds of price ranges have been developed for users to experience the technology.

IV. System overview:

The system is being developed in Unity with C# programming language. The networking model of the project has been done through Photon and Adobe Experience Design is used to create an engaging user experience.

The system is aimed to provide an interactive environment for the user to work in. It lets creates 3D models of the human anatomy for the visual understanding of the user. Several tools and techniques have been used to develop the system and enhance visualization.

The human anatomy model can be dissected into various layers. These layers can depict organs, muscles, bones etc.

The applications to be carried out in the system are:

1. Zoom In/Out: The application is an interactive application in which the user can zoom in and out of the model to check the minute elements.
2. Rotate Clockwise/Anti-Clockwise: The application can be rotated in both directions as required. The tool offers the user to look at the model from all directions and spaces for better understanding.
3. Toggle: The toggle tool lets the user toggle between the different organs, muscles, bones, etc and the entire model.

V. Conclusion:

In this paper, we created a system for implementing mixed reality in the field of medical education. We explored the advantages and disadvantages of the technology. Based on several medical expert reviews and opinions the system was developed. The applications of Mixed Reality, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality have been identified and considered while developing the system. The scope of mixed reality in the field of medicine is huge and something which should be considered in order to provide an interactive and immersive environment for medical students.

References:

1. Min-Chai Hsieh* and Jia-Jin Lee Preliminary Study of VR and AR Applications in Medical and Healthcare Education
2. ANNETTE RAHN & MIE BUHL Augmented Reality as Wearable Technology in Visualizing Human Anatomy
3. Jannat Falah, Salsabeel F. M. Alfalah, Soheeb Khan, Warren Chan, Tasneem Alfalah, David K. Harrison and Vassilis Charissis Virtual Reality Medical Training System for Anatomy Education
4. MAHNAZ SAMADBEIK, DONYA YAAGHOBI, PEIVAND BASSANI, SHAHABEDDIN ABHARI, RITA REZAEE, ALI GARAVAND The Applications of Virtual Reality Technology in Medical Groups Teaching
5. Abhijitsinh Jadeja, Richa Mehta and Deepak Sharma New Era of Teaching Learning: 3D Marker Based Augmented Reality
6. Steven Szu-Chi Chen and Henry B. L. Duh Mixed Reality in Education: Recent Developments and Future Trends:
7. Marjorie A. Zielke, Dj Jahangir Zakhidov, Gary Hardee, Leonard Evans, Sean Lenox, Nick Orr, Dylan Fino, Gautham Mathialagan Developing Virtual Patients with VR/AR for a Natural User Interface in Medical Teaching