Research is always being carried out around the world to find new and exciting ways to treat patients, and this is exactly what has been happening in Singapore. Here, a team consisting of National University Hospital (NUH) clinicians and National University of Singapore engineers have created software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) to detect veins that are hard to find.
How does it work?
To carry out this new process, a healthcare worker pastes a sticker onto the arm of a patient which the innovative software identifies. A headset is then used to locate the patient’s veins which are detected due to how blood vessels absorb infrared light. The healthcare worker will be able to see digital images of the veins on the patients arm, making them far easier to locate.
Why is this important?
Some patients have veins which are small or difficult to find, and this new technology means that healthcare workers will be able to draw blood or deliver fluids more efficiently. At the moment, healthcare workers can use an ultrasound machine to locate veins when necessary, but this requires the use of a hand which can make the whole process difficult to carry out. With this new technology, the headset leaves both of the healthcare worker’s hands free.
What’s next?
The process of using AI and AR to locate veins is still being tested, but it is thought that this testing could be completed in the next year. Virtual reality is also being used elsewhere in the healthcare industry for a variety of reasons. You can find out more in our post: Health Benefits of Technology: Virtual Reality.
