Surgeon shows how he uses Apple Vision Pro during surgery and people are divided
Kit Roberts
Featured Image Credit: Bruno Gobbato
Warning: This article contains graphic images and video which some readers may find distressing.
A surgeon posted a video showing him using the Apple Vision Pro to assist with a routine surgical procedure.
The video was shot from the surgeon's point of view inside Apple's new device, and was aimed at demonstrating how it might be used to assist surgeons.
Need some convincing before you'd go under the knife with the help of VR? Take a look below:
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It's safe to say people had some differing opinions on using the device.
The procedure was carried out by Brazilian surgeon Bruno Gobbato, and was an arthroscopy.
Gobbato is an orthopaedic surgeon specialising in operating on the shoulder and elbow.
This is a common procedure which is used to examine and treat problems in people's joints.
Gobbato posted a time lapse of the procedure to his YouTube channel showing how he used the Apple Vision Pro to assist him.
For those who don't know, the Apple Vision Pro can bring up virtual 'screens' which are only visible to the person wearing the headset.
These can be manipulated by moving the hands in the air, which is picked up the device.
The surgery involved putting a camera into the joint, which was then fed into a 'screen' that the surgeon had placed in front of himself in the operating theater.
Some viewers commented that this would be a very useful way for the surgeon to be able to see what was going on and to zoom in on the procedure.
Not only that, but he also had 3D models of the joint there as well that he could reference in real time, including manipulating the joint.
One person commented how this was a useful tool which could also be used without an infection risk.
They wrote: "A huge floating 8k monitor, 3d models and all the files. No need to touch and contaminate the gloves."
Others were also impressed, with one writing: "It's strange but at the same time it's very cool to see the use of the Apple Vision Pro in surgeries."
Another posted: "Incredible! I hope all surgeons, and physicians in other fields soon have access to such an incredible tool to ENHANCE and support their skills and ability to have the best information at their fingertips for the benefit of the patient."
But some were a little more reserved, asking whether it was appropriate to use the device for this purpose at this stage.
One Reddit user wrote: "The only thing I would be concerned about is if the camera lens results in a distortion that affects the precision of the doctor's incisions."
Another said: "Imagine waking up during surgery and seeing this."
It's worth noting that augmented reality is already being used successfully for a wide range of surgeries, so this might not necessarily be as futuristic as it looks.