X-ray specs a reality
1960s science fiction to 21st-century fact
IT SOUNDS like the stuff of science fiction – high-tech glasses which allow doctors to peer inside the human body.
But the Scottish NHS and a technology company are working together to make this futuristic fantasy a reality – by developing real ‘X-ray specs’.
Using infrared light and tiny specialised cameras, the ‘smart glasses’ allow the wearer to ‘see’ veins under the skin.
Incorporating the latest communications technology, the glasses also transmit information, allowing others to see remotely what the user is looking at.
NHS staff are already evaluating how the glasses could improve patient care, and medics believe they could be especially beneficial in the treatment of stroke victims.
Electronics engineer Chris Bryson, of Scottish developer Sublime, said: ‘It’s as if the glasses give you superpowers because you can see
‘It’s as if they give you superpowers’
outside of the visible spectrum. It’s like X-ray glasses.
‘We’re not using X-rays – but we’re effectively able to see outside of your normal vision.’
The early-stage prototype glasses use infrared light to highlight veins under the skin.
A tiny infrared camera captures the images which are then displayed on the lenses of the spectacles. The images are superimposed on the ‘real life’ view seen by the user, with 3D technology aligning the two. This ‘sensor fusion’ gives the X-ray effect.
They can also create pictures from an ultrasound wand, something that can be used to assess internal bleeding, for example, or to monitor an unborn child.
Mr Bryson, whose is co-developing the glasses with the NHS and Taiwanese firm Jorjin Technologies, said: ‘I’ve been immersed in this for a long time, but I think people who experience augmented reality for the first time definitely get a “wow” feeling. It is actually driven by mobile phone technology, effectively leveraging the miniaturisation of computing, which is connected wirelessly over 3G or 4G.
‘The technology is becoming more miniaturised and there are advances in optical technology which allow you to put those displays into something that looks like a normal set of glasses.’
He added: ‘We have three main ways of interacting with the glasses – voice, gesture or eye tracking where they are controlled by your gaze. I think we would see a number of different healthcare opportunities – from surgery at the high end through to nursing.
‘I think this is going to become more of the norm.’
NHS staff working in cardiology, ENT, geriatrics and accident and emergency at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, have already taken part in an early-stage evaluation. It is hoped the technology will allow views from the glasses to be transmitted to others, meaning that, for example, paramedics could get advice from hospitalbased consultants.
Consultants could also undertake routine patient consultations remotely, removing the need in some cases for a hospital visit.
Alan Whiteside of NHS Highland’s research, development and innovation department, said basic models allowing remote viewing, costing up to £2,000 per pair, could be introduced in only one or two years. He added: ‘The paramedic in an ambulance can be speaking with the staff in A&E, showing them something that’s happened.
‘In the case of stroke, if you can identify the type of stroke somebody’s had, and intervene very early, it can have a massive impact on the quality of their life.’