Virtual Reality Helps to Treat Babies' Hearts

Roland Piquepaille writes "In Denmark, about 350 babies need to be operated each year because of heart defect. And their hearts are very small, so it's hard to know the exact kind of defect before the operation. This is why the Aarhus University Hospital is using virtual reality software to model babies' hearts, according to BBC News. Now, surgeons and doctors can visualize a magnified heart in 3D before planning cardiac surgery. This also allows a better communication with parents which can understand what's wrong with their babies before the intervention. As the percentage of affected babies, about one per cent, is probably the same in many other countries, let's hope this software will be widely distributed. Congratulations to these Danish doctors and software writers for this brilliant usage of technology. This summary contains more details and pictures."

Comments

Re:The end of evolution?

[Ianoo]

Maybe it is, but what does it matter? In 10 or 15 years, we may well have the technology to improve our genes through technology (bigger brains, stronger bones, better healing capabilities, fewer defects). We won't need evolution any more. Until then, let's use current technology to help people less fortunate than ourselves get to that point. Then they can have kids without having to worry about passing their dodgy genes on to them, since they'll have been screened out while-u-wait using genetic tech.

Re:The end of evolution?

[bhima]

So evolution ceases to be survival of the fittest and becomes survival of the richest.