AUGMENTED REALITY FOR CATARACT SURGICAL TRAINING WITH SMARTPHONES

Custom Surgical GmbH was funded in August of 2019 in Munich, Germany. We focus our work on the development of smartphone applications and optical systems for ophthalmology. During the past 2 and a half years we have reached more than 60 countries with our flagship product, the MicroREC. The MicroREC is an optical system that allows the usage of any smartphone with any Microscope or Slit-Lamp. We have currently sold over 700 units with special interest and focus in training centers. Therefore, our current focus is on training, where our systems have already proven their value with the high quality recording and streaming functionalites. At the ESCRS we will be presenting a paper presenting the findings of our AR training application and we will simultaneausly lunch it during the congress.

About our Augmented Reality training app:

We utilize computer vision algorithms to track different structures of dummy eye models for surgery training in ophthalmology. We provide, on one hand, augmented reality overlays on the smartphone screen to guide trainees as they practice specific surgical procedures; and, on the other hand, assessment metrics derived from the end result of the procedure to help them track their progress. We are focusing on cataract surgery and corneal suturing. But later on, this technology can be extended to novel emerging surgical techniques.

Our goals are to help expedite the learning courve of ophthalmology residents and fellows by providing them an accessible mobile-based platform that provides guidance and assestment on a real environment, allowing them to use the real surgical tools such as microscopes, phacoemulsification machines and instruments. Simultaneausly, with their own smartphones, the students can review the recordings of their own training sessions and share them with their supervisors or colleagues.