Google Glass Continues to Show Promise in the OR as More Surgeons Test Functionality

A surgeon from Duke University is using Google Glass, a computer attached to glasses with a built-in camera and monitor, to record and archive all of his surgeries, and soon, he will use it to stream live feeds of his operations to hospitals in India as a way to train and educate orthopedic surgeons there, states a June 1, 2014, New York Times article. According to the article, a growing number of surgeons who were selected by Google to test the device (see the October 9, 2013, HRC Alerts) are using it to do things like stream their operations online, float medical images in their field of view, and hold video consultations with colleagues as they operate. Software developers have even created programs that transform the device's projector into a medical dashboard that displays patient vital signs, urgent lab results, and surgical checklists. Although many of the surgeons quoted in the article who are testing the device cite problems with its current configuration, such as short battery life, poor camera angle, and security and privacy issues related to the images captured, most are confident that a version of the device will find its way into the operating room (OR).