Apple Vision Pro offers new opportunities for healthcare application developers

Apple Vision Pro, in conjunction with visionOS, paves the way for healthcare app developers to create innovative apps that were previously unimaginable. This innovative technology is changing the landscape of health and wellness applications, offering spatial experiences that benefit users both in clinical settings and at home. Today, Apple published an article titled “Apple Vision Pro offers new opportunities for health app developers“. The article highlights how Apple Vision Pro is enabling the medical industry and showcases the visionOS App Store. Currently, a large number of medical related apps are already in the app store.

Apple explained how immersive applications that integrate digital content with the physical world can transform medical staff training, surgical planning and patient care in clinical and home settings. For example, the myMako app uses Vision Pro’s 3D capabilities to improve surgical planning. It also provides surgeons with intuitive and dynamic access to preoperative planning and information. CyranoHealth uses spatial computing technology to provide comprehensive and immersive medical equipment training. It aims to help frontline healthcare staff increase their confidence and reduce anxiety.

Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of worldwide developer relations, said

“We’re excited to see the incredible applications that developers from across the healthcare community bring to Apple Vision Pro… The imagination and drive of our developers, combined with the technical capabilities of visionOS, are igniting new possibilities for doctors, frontline workers and even students, and we have can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Similarly, Siemens Healthineers’ Cinematic Reality app creates realistic, interactive anatomical holograms of the human body to enhance medical education and patient consultation experiences. Epic Systems is redefining patient record management with the Epic Spatial Computing Concept. This allows medical staff to interact with patient data using intuitive gestures and spatial computing technology. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Xaia app offers a unique approach to mental health support, delivering conversational, AI-driven therapy in an adaptive, soothing environment.

Unleashing Spatial Experiences

Apple Vision Pro seamlessly integrates digital content with the physical world, unlocking powerful spatial experiences on an infinite canvas. This unique capability, combined with visionOS, enables healthcare developers to create applications that serve a variety of areas in the healthcare sector, including clinical education, surgical planning, training, medical imaging and behavioral health.

Robert Cohen, Stryker’s president of digital, robotics and enabling technologies, said

“The myMako app for Apple Vision Pro allows surgeons to access complex surgical plan details and insights at their fingertips in a 3D natural, intuitive and dynamic way. This level of insight – anytime, anywhere – was not possible before… With Apple Vision Pro, Stryker’s market-leading technologies like Mako SmartRobotics have the exciting potential to transform the way surgeons think about preoperative planning and the intraoperative experience, all in line with Stryker’s Mission to Improve Healthcare.”

John Brownstein, Ph.D., Chief Innovation Officer of Boston Children’s said

“CyranoHealth uses spatial computing to revolutionize the training of healthcare professionals, offering immersive, realistic simulations to enhance learning and combat burnout. The app represents a significant leap forward in healthcare education, blending technology and medicine to create a future-ready workforce.”

Transformative healthcare applications

Multiple applications have already used Apple Vision Pro to improve healthcare delivery. For example:

• Surgical planning and training: Stryker’s myMako app allows surgeons to visualize and review patients’ surgical plans in an immersive visual experience.
• Cinematic Reality: The Siemens Healthineers app allows users to view interactive holograms of the human body in their real-world environment.
• Epic Spatial Computing Concept: Epic Systems introduces a spatial computing concept for physicians and clinicians to interact with patient health information in new, compelling ways.

Sumbul Desai, MD, Apple’s vice president of healthcare said

“We at Apple believe that technology can play an important role in the evolution of healthcare… With the ability to transform the user’s space, display life-size 3D objects and see all relevant data in one view, the opportunities for healthcare developers to use Apple Vision Pro to improve procedural planning, education and outcomes are limitless.”

Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, professor of medicine, director of the Department of Health Services Research and director of the Master of Science in Health Delivery program at Cedars-Sinai said

“Apple Vision Pro’s stunning display offers a gateway to a world of immersive, interactive behavioral health support—a quantum leap beyond previous technologies… With Xaia, we’re harnessing every pixel of that remarkable resolution and full spectrum of vivid colors to craft a form of immersive therapy , which is engaging and deeply personal. With this remarkable device, our team has been able to completely rethink how spatial computing can support behavioral health and overall well-being in ways that have never been possible before.”

Productivity and collaboration

Apple Vision Pro serves as an ideal productivity tool for various tasks. Apps like Box make it easy to collaborate and manage files in a 3D user interface. In addition, popular productivity applications such as Microsoft 365, Fantastical and Numerics optimize Apple Vision Pro’s infinite canvas for seamless daily task management.

Christian Zapf, Head of Digital & Automation at Siemens Healthineers, said

“Cinematic reality gives people the opportunity to immerse themselves in a world of photorealistic images of the human anatomy…Apple Vision Pro perfectly represents this three-dimensional experience, combined with great flexibility and stand-alone use. We see great potential for the technology for both clinical and educational purposes.”

Fun gaming experiences

The platform offers immersive gameplay experiences for users of all skill levels. Users can immerse themselves in games that transform their surroundings or play compatible games on the big screen. Apps like Voyager by ForeFlight provide spatial context for air traffic control enthusiasts. In addition, CARROT Weather provides unique 3D weather forecasts.

Learning through innovative applications

Apple Vision Pro enhances the learning experience through applications that offer new ways to interact. Users can engage with educational content in fun and engaging ways, fostering a dynamic learning environment that goes beyond traditional methods.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Apple Vision Pro has revolutionized healthcare application development by providing developers with unprecedented tools. These tools will help them create impactful and transformative apps. These applications can improve patient care, medical education, and overall health.