Google Glass enters the operating theater

Augmented reality glasses worn during a stomach operation with real time documentation Functionality and privacy are Google Glass issues that were talked about months before it came on the market. But news comes from the United States about another possible use: a surgeon wore augmented reality glasses when performing a stomach operation and documented it in real time in his blog. The surgeon is Rafael Grossmann and he works at Eastern Maine Medical Center.   "I took every precaution to ensure that the patient's privacy was protected and I received his informed consent", Grossman explained in his blog post titled "Ok Glass, hand me the scalpel please" - and specified that video and photo streaming never revealed the patient's identity or face.   "I wanted to demonstrate" - the doctor added - "that this is an intuitive tool with huge potential for healthcare and surgery in particular. It could improve team consultancy, encourage opinions by external experts, but it is also a useful teaching tool".   Grossmann wore Glass throughout the operation and the images captured by his eyes were projected onto an iPad display. In addition to his blog, the surgeon documented the operation in real time thanks to Google Hang-Out, the function that enables group conversations. "I think it is the first time that Glass has been in an operating theater" - Grossmann concluded - "we were able to show the endoscope technique quickly and economically and we maintained the patient's anonymity".   Source: Il Messaggero