Rozenblit’s CAST Part of Augmented Reality Surgery’s Future

The current method for cutting out a tumor involves using a pre-operation scan as a guide, but with the help of researchers such as University Distinguished Professor and Raymond J. Oglethorpe Endowed Chair of electrical and computer engineering Jerzy Rozenblit, augmented reality surgery could be on the horizon.

In an interview with SPIE Professional Magazine, Rozenblit -- who is also professor of surgery in the UA College of Medicine -- described how students can use his computer-assisted surgical trainer, or CAST, kits to train their depth perception in surgery.

The kits use visual, force or audio guidance to simulate laparoscopic surgery. The training takes the form of hand-eye coordination tasks such as using foot-long metal surgical arms to thread a hoop along a wire without making contact, for example. Similar kits could also be developed for breast cancer surgery training, Rozenblit said.

Another advantage of the augmented reality-based training is that it can expose students to real-world surgical conditions, and allow them to tackle the situation without the high-risk stakes.

"We can create all sorts of training scenarios that are highly repeatable," Rozenblit said.