competitive: augmented reality eyewear...competitive: augmented reality eyewear epson’s moverio...

Competitive: Augmented Reality EyewearWho to Watch in medical

by Christopher Grayson

The companies featured in these pages are bringing AR products to market that solve problems in the medical field, improve medical education, raise the quality of healthcare, extend human life and save lives.

BY-SA 2.5Christopher Grayson

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HOLOLENS

Competitive: Augmented Reality EyewearWho to Watch in medical

Impressive conceptual videos demonstrating Augmented Reality applied to medical simulation, produced by Microsoft, in collaboration with Case

Western Reserve University are inspiring but have received some criticism for the heavy use of post-production special effects, rather than actual

through-the-lens authentic video footage.

At the forefront of Augmented Reality hardware stand Microsoft HoloLens and META Glasses. The former is a well-funded project by a tech-giant reasserting itself, the later is a venture backed startup founded by Meron Gribetz, that includes such AR luminaries as Steve Mann as chief scientist and Steven Feiner as scientific advisor.

Microsoft accelerated HoloLens by acquiring the AR patent portfolio of Osterhout Design Group (who also moved forward with their own AR

device). Microsoft and META have built partnerships in the medical field, both focused on education and medical simulation. Microsoft has produced some highly polished videos in partnership with Case Western Reserve University, while receiving some criticism for heavy use of post-production special effects, rather than true through-the-lens footage.

Lacking the production budget of Microsoft, META’s simulation videos, produced with their medical simulation software partner SIMX, while less polished have received praise for their true user experience authenticity.

Any medical school considering an investment in an Augmented Reality medical simulation learning platform should test both systems. Developer kits for both devices have just come available in Q1 2016.

Perhaps their greatest difference in user experience is that HoloLens is wireless and META’s device is tethered by a cable. This creates a trade-off between freedom of movement, and battery-life.

MagicLeap is a well funded if somewhat secretive startup, largely financed by Google Ventures, with over a billion dollar valuation. Their product will not come to market for at least another 18 months. Their teaser videos have mostly focused on entertainment, though they will enter the market as a direct competitor to HoloLens and META. It is likely they will pursue similar applications in the medical space when they are closer to market.

”“Augmented Reality is the future of medical simulation, and META brings us there today.

— Stan Stadelman, CTO, SimX



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Competitive: Augmented Reality Eyewear

Epson’s Moverio BT-series smartglasses have gone through several model number iterations. The Moverio is full-color stereoscopic 3D. Evena Medical’s Eyes-On AR platform is an attachment to the Moverio. The Evena Owl 1.0, shown below, is a multi-spectral sensor attachment. It can see veins beneath the skin for real-time hands free vascular imaging. This raises the accuracy with which an IV can be inserted into a patient, resulting in less vein searching, reducing pain and discomfort for the patient, and reducing time for intravenous access.

The Evena / Moverio vein finder is an excellent case study for task-specific AR used in a real-world application that improves the patient’s experience when receiving medical care.

Osterhout Design Group, the laboratory of serial inventor Ralph Osterhout, has designed everything from high-end scuba gear, to children’s toys, to military systems (famous for their night vision goggles). The ODG model D-7 are usually referred to as “enterprise” augmented reality glasses, while most of their demo content has been focused on entertainment (21st Century Fox are investors). The truth is, they do not yet have a market, and given that ODG sold their AR patent portfolio to Microsoft for use in the HoloLens’ development, it would be reasonable to expect them to eventually explore the medical space.

Who to Watch in medical

EPSON Moverio BT-2000 EPSON Moverio BT-300


Sony has shown up late to the game. Their SmartEyeglass device’s display is in monochromatic green. They are playing catchup. In March, 2016, Sony announced an expanded R&D budget specifically in Augmented Reality eyewear. They also have a prototype monoscopic eyewear device known as the Sony SmartEyeglass Attach.Sony’s glasses are compatible with CrowdOptic’s streaming video platform featured on page 5.

OTHER DEVICES:


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M100 M100 PrescriPtion

STAR1200XLD

With camera attachment

Vuzix is the world leader in smartglasses. A pioneer, founder Paul Travers has been in the digital eyewear space since the late 80s, longer than virtually anyone in the field.

Just over a year ago Intel invested $25M in Vuzix, funding a manufacturing plant for their new waveguide augmented reality lenses that are now coming to market in their 3000 series devices. Vuzix also has a co-branding partnership with Lenovo in the Chinese market. With over 40 patents, their IP portfolio may be the most robust in the industry. Between gaming, entertainment, industrial and enterprise solutions, Vuzix offers the most extensive product line in the digital eyewear space.

Vuzix devices are compatible with CrowdOptic’s streaming platform. M300 M3000

Company to Watch

Competitive: Augmented Reality EyewearWho to Watch in medicalby Christopher Grayson


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* Christopher Grayson is an advisor to CrowdOptic.

CrowdOptic develops middleware for wearables that allows enterprises to manage devices in the field from a single platform. Their software includes a centralized enterprise management console, as well as various device-side connectors giving enterprises the ability to deploy a range of wearable computing applications, from livestreaming to context-aware computing.

In the healthcare space CrowdOptic is the category leader in streaming video (with end-to-end encryption). Their platform allows medical students to see precisely what the surgeon sees, extending and enhancing the operating theater. The streaming service is also deployed with many first-responders, giving physicians in the ER a vicarious view, seeing vital information before a patient’s arrival. Lives have been saved.

Company to Watch*

Google has only certified ten development partners through Google’s Glass@Work partnership. Of those, CrowdOptic holds 9 patents. Between them, the other nine hold zero.


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M100 M100 PrescriPtion

M300 M3000

SmartEyeglass

SamplE of CompatiblE DEviCES


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iphone market penetration by Physicians (US)

Why is ioS dominant among doctors?

Given ioS dominance among doctors, and apple’s dedication to the category, strong support for / integration with ioS could prove a key to success for smartglasses in the medical space.

With a screen about the size of a prescription pad, and

a handwriting interface, the Newton was widely embraced by Doctors.

iOS dOminateS amOng PhySicianS

DoctorsPopulationGeneral

68%40%

31%51%Source: Black Book Research

Long after Apple killed the Newton product line, a healthy third-party market in service and software continued to cater to Newton’s dedicated user-base in the medical field.

With the introduction of the iPhone, Doctors migrated, and remain the profession with the highest iPhone market penetration.

How will apple maintain this lead?

Apple created the iPad Pro largely to service the medical profession, to address the needs, and maintain their lead, in this critical market.

iPad Pro



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Learn more about companies and products featured in this report (by order of first appearance):Page 2Microsoft HoloLens: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/META Glasses: https://www.metavision.comMagicLeap: http://www.magicleap.comPage 3EPSON Moverio: http://www.epson.com/moverioEvena Medical: http://evenamed.comSony SmartEyeglass: http://developer.sonymobile.com/products/smarteyeglass/Sony SmartEyeglass Attach: http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/201412/14-118E/ODG: http://www.osterhoutgroup.comPage 4VUZIX: https://www.vuzix.comPage 5 & 6CrowdOptic: http://crowdoptic.com


BY-SA 2.5This document is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution / Share-Alike licenseAll logos belong to their respective trademark holders.

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