Using Kinect For a Touch-Free Interface In Surgery

cylonlover writes "While Microsoft probably isn't thrilled open source drivers for its Kinect have led to it being used for 3D virtual sex games, a new application for the device developed by members of the Virtopsy research project at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Bern in Switzerland is likely to be more welcome. The team has developed a functional prototype using Kinect that provides users with a hands-free way to review radiological images."

Comments

Sterile

[Dan East]

The summary fails to connect the viewing of radiographs to surgery. The point of this is to allow interaction with a computer without having to touch anything, in order to select, view, zoom, pan, etc radiographs. Hands-free is fantastic in this case, as it maintains a sterile environment, and keeps blood from being smeared all over physical computer controls. Obviously there would be many uses for this in surgery besides just viewing radiographs, but that is a good place to start.

Re:Sterile

[Anonymous Coward]

This isn't hands-free. Hands-free would mean that you can use the interface while doing something else with your hands. It is touch-free.

Re:Sterile

[DigiShaman]

Auto mechanics could find good use out of this technology as well. No need to drop the tools and/or get the console all greasy. I'm sure it would work great for mechanics working in aviation as well. No need to pick up that book of schematics anymore.

Re:Sterile

[arivanov]

Kind'a

The point is to give a pink slip to the (usually senior) qualified nurse or junior radiographer who are sitting at the manual controls now and doing exactly the same function on surgeon request.

C'est la vie. Such are the inevitable results of technological progress...