In real life, physical therapy is needed for a broken bone, a toothache, or a heart attack, and the need is often urgent and urgent.
In the past, it was difficult to imagine how these diseases could be treated in a virtual world, but the emergence of the concept of a metaverse may make a difference in the future, a virtual world that will free people from the physical barriers of reality.
On February 19, China's first "Metaverse Medical Alliance" (IAMM) was established in Shanghai.
Previously, Metaverse has integrated applications with third-generation semiconductors, 6G communications, quantum computing and new-generation information technology, etc., and has been written into the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Shanghai's Electronic Information Industry".
With the help of terminal virtual reality equipment
According to the earliest definition of "Metaverse Medicine" published in Clinical eHealth by Bai Chunxue, Professor of Respiratory Department of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University and Chairman of the Founding Conference of Metaverse Medicine, "Metaverse Medicine is the Internet of Things medicine practiced through AR".
However, some experts said that the concept of "metaverse medicine" is still in its early stage, and more applications of "metaverse medicine" at this stage are actually the expansion of "smart medicine".
It is proposed in the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Shanghai Electronic Information Industry" to strengthen the forward-looking research and development of the underlying core technology and basic capabilities of the Metaverse, promote the development of new terminals that deepen perception and interaction and the construction of systematic virtual content, and explore industry applications.
In a newly published expert consensus on the medical Internet of Things on "Metaverse Medicine" by Prof. Bai Chunxue and his team, the Metaverse application in medicine is defined as a platform for promoting the Medical Internet of Things (MIoT) using AR and/or VR glasses , which integrates intelligent technologies such as holographic construction, holographic simulation, virtual-real integration, and virtual-real interconnection.
Experts emphasized that a reliable security system is the basis and guarantee for the operation of "metaverse medicine".
Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed virtual and augmented reality devices through its Medical Augmented Reality Program; my country is also improving the approval process for artificial intelligence software, which will set regulatory requirements for future virtual reality devices and uses Lay the foundation.
In healthcare, gamification elements have become part of some digital therapies for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), improving amblyopia, managing chronic pain, coping with neurological disorders such as depression, Parkinson's, and traumatic brain injury Some; hardware such as virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality is also already being used in medical schools, operating rooms and nursing homes.
The huge application prospects have also attracted large technology companies to invest heavily in the development of metaverse technology, which will soon enter the field of health care.
For example, Google is developing an AR headset code-named Project Iris, and Apple has also made technical arrangements for AR glasses.
Microsoft launched its mixed reality platform Microsoft Mesh last year, using its HoloLens headset to project a hologram of a person or object, allowing users to move their avatars through immersive spaces.
The underlying technology research and development has yet to be improved
In recent years, this immersive experience has also received great attention in the surgical field, and related applications are being developed.
For example, Medtronic, the world's largest medical device company, has partnered with augmented reality (AR) startup Surgical Theatre on an initiative to give neurosurgeons a way to test their surgical strategies before entering the operating room, and during surgery Use AR to give surgeons a real-time 3D view of surgery for better navigation.
The digital twin is believed to be the foundation of the metaverse, a real-time digital counterpart that acts as a physical object or process.
Last year, Digital Me was named one of Gartner's most important emerging technology trends.
In healthcare, the concept points to the intersection of brain-computer interface (BMI) and digital twin technology.
Brain-computer interfaces rely on wearable devices or implants to convert neuronal information into commands that can control external software or hardware, such as a computer or robotic arm.
Industrial information giants such as IBM, Siemens and Dassault Systèmes have developed digital twin technology for commercial applications, and Chinese research teams are also developing a digital twin that could help individuals prevent cancer and chronic diseases.
Liu Lei, director of the Institute of Medical Information and Medical Imaging Intelligent Diagnosis, Fudan University's Institute of Big Data, told Yicai.com: "We are doing this kind of digital twin for individuals, and now the combination of virtual and reality is the development of all walks of life. Trend. To carry out individualized medical research and practice in virtual space based on data and models is a part of intelligent medicine and an early application of the concept of the metaverse, but there are still too many unknowns about how to do it.”
Liu Lei said that he prefers the concept of intelligent medicine rather than "metaverse medicine".
"We first developed digital twins for tumors, and we will provide solutions for more diseases such as cardiovascular disease in the future." He told Yicai.com, "There is no general software yet, and we are developing it ourselves."
The development of this new generation of information technology integration applications has also brought challenges to the medical registration and approval system. Artificial intelligence medical software belongs to a new category of medical devices, and many registration and approval data standard databases in my country have not yet been formed.
The Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology stated that in the future, the introduction of management specifications for special medical software products, including artificial intelligence medical software, is very necessary for the development of technology-enabled medical and health industry.