google glass first time used in india

[punjabilion]

CHENNAI: When the surgeon's
scalpel drew a red line on the
patient's abdomen, two blocks away
a group of medical students leaned
toward their screens.
The procedure was a simple hernia
repair, but the surgical team was
unusually upbeat as they turned to
look at the latest gadget in the
operation theatre - the Google Glass
worn by their chief.
As the medical fraternity in the west
debates the usefulness of the
newest device produced by software
giant Google Inc, doctors in India
have joined the chorus with
bouquets and brickbats, even as a
surgeon in the city became the first
in the country to live-stream a
surgery using the Google Glass.
On Tuesday, Lifeline Hospitals live-
streamed an upper gastro-intestinal
laparoscopy procedure on a 45-year-
old man and a hernia repair on a
42-year-old woman to medical
students seated two blocks away
using Google Glass.
"It felt like I was glancing at my
rearview mirror while driving. I was
focusing on the surgeries and talking
to my students at the same time. At
one point, I stopped feeling it was
an external device," said Dr J S
Rajkumar, chief surgeon of the
hospital.
Google Glass is a wearable computer
that has a frame similar to
traditional eyeglasses. It follows
voice commands to take photos and
videos that show the viewpoint of
the user.
The surgeries were live-streamed on
Google Hangout as well. Doctors say
the gadget is yet another step
forward in opening the doors of the
operation theatre. "People need to
know what is happening behind
those doors. This is one more gadget
towards that end. Students can see
the surgical procedures through
their seniors' eyes, quite literally.
This is a phenomenal surgical tool,"
said Dr Rajkumar.
"We did face some practical glitches
like problems with wi-fi and the
battery dying early."
Although the gadget is yet to hit the
market, Google distributed 2,000 of
the gizmos earlier this year for
testing before its release to the
general public.
Besides being an educational tool,
doctors say the technology could be
used to view X-rays, MRI images and
other medical information as they
conduct surgeries. It could also be
used to connect with doctors in far
flung places, provided their internet
connectivity is good.
"The gadget could help professionals
access data and communicate with
colleagues far away, while getting
feedback to improve efficiency and
quality of patient care. The
possibilities are endless, but at the
end of the day any gadget is only as
good as the user," said Dr Sai Satish,
consultant interventional
cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals.
While some doctors say the device
could soon become a fixture in
operation theatres, some see it as a
distraction. "It's too early to
celebrate this as a breakthrough in
healthcare tools. Unless it is
carefully vetted, it could be a
disaster for patients," said Dr R Ravi
Kumar, director, institute of
cardiovascular disease, robotic
surgery centre at Chettinad Health
City.
He said operation theatres already
had gadgets performing the same
functions as Google Glass. "I use a
camera attached to my head which
is live-streamed to audiences in
different parts of the world. So what
makes this gadget special? We'll
have to wait till it hits the market,"
said the doctor, adding that the
price tag of $1,500 was too steep too
expensive for many doctors.


source = timesofindia