̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Health Partners

‘Hologram patients’ developed to help train doctors and nurses

ta385 — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 15:00:00 +0000

HoloScenarios, a new training application based on life-like holographic patient scenarios, is being developed by Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), in partnership with the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and Los Angeles-based tech company GigXR. ̽��ֱ��first module focuses on common respiratory conditions and emergencies.

"Mixed reality is increasingly recognised as a useful method of simulator training,” said Dr Arun Gupta, consultant anaesthetist at CUH and director of postgraduate education at Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Health Partnership, who is leading the project.

“As institutions scale procurement, the demand for platforms that offer utility and ease of mixed reality learning management is rapidly expanding," he said.

Learners in the same room, wearing Microsoft HoloLens mixed-reality headsets, are able to see each other in real life, while also interacting with a multi-layered, medically accurate holographic patient. This creates a unique environment to learn and practice vital, real-time decision making and treatment choices.

Through the same type of headset, medical instructors are also able to change patient responses, introduce complications and record observations and discussions – whether in person in a teaching group or remotely to multiple locations worldwide, via the internet.

Learners can also watch, contribute to and assess the holographic patient scenarios from Android, iOS smartphone or tablet. This means true-to-life, safe-to-fail immersive learning can be accessed, delivered and shared across the world, with the technology now available for license to learning institutions everywhere.

Alongside the development and release of HoloScenarios, an analysis of the new technology as a teaching and learning resource is being led by Professor Riikka Hofmann at Cambridge’s Faculty of Education.

“Our research is aimed at uncovering how such simulations can best support learning and accelerate the adoption of effective mixed reality training while informing ongoing development,” said Hofmann.

“We hope that it will help guide institutions in implementing mixed reality into their curricula, in the same way institutions evaluate conventional resources, such as textbooks, manikins, models or computer software, and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes.”

Junior doctor Aniket Bharadwaj is one of the first to try out the new technology. "Throughout medical school we would have situations where actors would come in an act as patients. With the pandemic a lot of that changed to tablet based interactions because of the risk to people of the virus,” he said.

“Having a hologram patient you can see, hear and interact with is really exciting and will really make a difference to student learning."

̽��ֱ��first module features a hologram patient with asthma, followed by anaphylaxis, pulmonary embolism and pneumonia. Further modules in cardiology and neurology are in development.

Delivered by the Gig Immersive Learning Platform, HoloScenarios aims to centralise and streamline access and management of mixed reality learning, and encapsulate the medical experience of world-leading doctors at CUH and across the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge.

̽��ֱ��new technology could also provide more flexible, cost-effective training without heavy resource demands of traditional simulation, which can make immersive training financially prohibitive. This includes costs for maintaining simulation centres, their equipment and the faculty and staff hours to operate the labs and hire and train patient actors.

This story was first published on the Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Hospitals website

A new partnership involving Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Hospitals (CUH) and the ̽��ֱ��’s Faculty of Education, brings medical training using 'mixed reality' technology one step closer. ̽��ֱ��project aims to make consistent, high-level and relevant clinical training more accessible across the world.

̽��ֱ��demand for platforms that offer utility and ease of mixed reality learning management is rapidly expanding

Dr Arun Gupta

CUH/GigXR

Clinicians at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, using HoloScenarios, a new training application based on life-like holographic patient scenarios. Image: CUH/GigXR

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Cambridge ready to lead UK’s industrial renaissance

cjb250 — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 11:27:25 +0000

With its pre-eminent strengths in life sciences, the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC) will be looking to work with the Government and partners in a number of identified areas:

̽��ֱ��development of a MedTech Cluster where clinicians and technology companies will work together to develop devices and software to improve healthcare.
A datahub to take advantage of the electronic patient record systems being developed in the NHS which creates a huge pool of real time information to help researchers with their work.
Assisting with the ‘scaling up’ of companies to ensure they become global players.
Support the growth in skills and the creation of new jobs across the East of England.
Additional projects looking at cancer and other specialities where Cambridge is strong.

These areas are part of a number of developments taking place on a Campus which is home to world class companies, research organisations and hospitals who are dedicated to improving healthcare in the UK and throughout the world.

Over the next few months, specific projects will be refined and developed ahead of a final decision being taken by the Government regarding funding and support.

Malcolm Lowe-Lauri, Executive Director of Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Health Partners, said: “Cambridge is the capital of UK life science with over 400 companies now employing in excess of 13,000 people. This is a fantastic base from which to work that has been acknowledged by the Government today. Simply put, we have the machinery to drive growth not just in the city but across the East of England.

“ ̽��ֱ��proximity, talent and backgrounds of the key organisations in Cambridge allow for new technology, innovation and ‘data lakes’ to be harnessed effectively. Nowhere in the UK and rarely across the world do you find this unique set of conditions. By putting forward projects to develop a MedTech hub, ‘datalakes’ and assist with the early detection of cancer, we can move to rapidly develop this sector, improving skills and creating employment in Cambridgeshire and throughout the region.”

Dr Jane Osbourn, Vice President at MedImmune, AstraZeneca’s global biologics R&D arm, said: “AstraZeneca shares the Government’s objective of ensuring the UK remains a great place for science and innovation post-Brexit. AstraZeneca is the UK’s leading pure play pharmaceutical company with strategic investment in the UK, Europe and globally. We are pleased to have played a leadership role in the development of the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy.

“Our global corporate headquarters are located at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and we are investing over £500m in a strategic Research and Development hub here. This reflects the importance we attribute to the science ecosystem, skills base, and academic excellence of the world-leading sector cluster in Cambridge, within the UK’s 'golden triangle' for life sciences. We welcome the importance attributed to infrastructure in the strategy which is critical for the 15,000 employees, academics, patients and visitors coming to the CBC every day.”

Roland Sinker, Chief Executive at Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our hospital is ideally placed to ensure patients benefit from the announcements made today by the Government. ̽��ֱ��advantages of being on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus are obvious as we benefit from world-leading research while providing our partners in pharma and medical technology with access to patients and the data they need. As a collective, we are working to meet the demands of the world’s healthcare challenges through the strength of systems which allow ideas to flourish, the physical space which is available for expansion and the international connections we have.”

Press release from Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Health Partners.

With the official launch today of the next stage in the Government’s Life Sciences Industrial Strategy, Cambridge can have a key role to deliver jobs, growth and investment for the East of England.

Gillian Griffiths

Killer T cells

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