Inspiration
During a pandemic, hospitals hold a large concentration of people infected with disease. Keeping these facilities open and running are a large determinant on whether the disease can be managed properly.
Continuing treatment at these facilities using personal protective equipment is not always sufficient to contain the spread of infection, neither for patients nor for critical-care personnel. Alternatively, reducing rates of transmission through social distancing is an effective technique for unknown and difficult-to-treat diseases. Building upon these social distancing guidelines, we saw an opportunity to pivot the use of our holographic technology towards giving healthcare personnel the ability to work at a safe distance from patients and other personnel.
What it does
In a pandemic, HoloCare can deliver a solution that maintains the quality of treatment in hospitals, by enabling critical care clinicians to continue working safely and remotely.
With the use of holographic technology, HoloCare protects critically important personnel by allowing clinicians to engage in virtual - rather than physical - multi-disciplinary teams meetings. The technology also supports the redirection of traffic away from isolated patients and areas, e.g. allowing experts and seniors to join rounds virtually rather than in-person. In addition, HoloCare facilitates remote assistance and training when, for example, a senior team member is needed but is not directly accessible. Most critically, it allows for sending a clinician into an isolated areas or patient rooms as a hologram, thus allowing healthy, but quarantined providers to continue interacting and working remotely.
Ways in which Holocare can help healthcare personnel:
• Limit traffic in and out of isolated patient rooms and protected areas • Protect critically important health personnel • Avoid cross-contamination between hospitals and between departments • Remote and digital assistance for decision support and guidance • Better remote cross-hospital collaboration • Limit risk for the contamination of equipment • Smarter and more efficient use of key resources • Avoid unnecessary contact between the GP and the patient
The Holocare solution shall only be used for (i) communication between clinical teams, (ii) guidance and (iii) NOT for medical decision making.Used only by guidance of qualified medical professionals. The user shall be granted a limited license to use the first prototype/MVP Holocare solution, and such right will cease to exist no later than once the Covid19 situation has been solved, and in no circumstances no later than 31.12.2020. The user shall be responsible for any legal approval, abiding laws and regulation for the use of the solution.
How we built it
HoloCare was developed for Microsoft’s HoloLens 2. Using its holographic visualization technology, we were able to build a solution using Unity 3D that would allow clinicians to visualize diagnostic data hands-free and in 3D.
HoloCare’s cloud solution opens the possibilities for expansion together with its library of solutions for clinicians, which includes congenital heart diagnosis, liver re-sectioning, and orthopedics to name a few. Microsoft Azure infrastructure forms the backbone of the HoloCare cloud solution where the modules, portals, and functionality of the applications are hosted, providing a virtual infrastructure anywhere in the world. Allowing for an easily scalable system within Europe and internationally.
What we need help with
We are looking to test our solution within Europe to see how effectively it works when put in action. Currently we are seeking partnering physicians in Paris, Madrid, Manchester, London, as well as Oslo and Stockholm.
What's next for HoloCare
HoloCare is on-track to move forward with its solution to aid in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The next step is to get HoloCare into the hands of clinicians to see how this solution helps reduce the volume of traffic and the risk of contamination.
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