You might be asking yourself, what the heck is augmented reality, anyway? Well, here are our friends at Common Craft to 'splain it in plain English.

So there are some smartphone apps that allow you to add augmented reality or visual search technology to your smartphone system (Layar is one, Google Goggles is another only available currently for Android phones). Here's a video showing how Google Goggles works: 

But what about augmented or visual search technology being used for medicine? Can you imaging a future where you can be looking at someone and an augmented reality screen pops up to tell you what's wrong with them? Or show you where they might have already had a medical intervention (appendectomy, hip replacement, etc)? Here's an interesting YouTube video showing how this might work. Sorry it has no sound, but it's visually interesting.

Could such tools help replace a medical history? I don't know -- I'm just putting on the futurist hat and thinking (ok, typing) out loud. After all, what is happening now was considered "science fiction" a few decades ago. The "fiction" aspects are falling away every day as more and more innovations are implemented.

What about surgery? What if a surgeon could have anatomical structures identified as they are looking through the surgical loupes? Think of how this could enhance surgical precision, help avoid errors, etc? The possibilities are infinite. And it may not be as far off as you think.

After all, here's another video demonstrating the Layar smartphone augmented reality program. This example shows in real time how real estate listings, maps, and other detailed information pops up as you view a neighborhood in Amsterdam.

Innovations in medical augmented reality is well underway. Once the tricorders and other devices move from science fiction to reality, next thing you know, it'll be "beam me up, Scotty!".

About the Author

Stephen Welch

Senior Vice President, Communications
Executive Editor, CHEST

This blog, "It Ain't Rocket Surgery" is intended to help busy health-care professionals find useful online and mobile resources that will enhance their self-education and professional research efforts, or point out important topics of discussion related to online information and content. The blog's title is a Yogi Berra style mash-up of two common phrases, "it ain't brain surgery" and "it ain't rocket science". I hope it will be casual, fun, insightful, and -- most of all -- educational.

You can follow me on Twitter. 

I currently serve ACCP as the Senior Vice President of Communications, as well as the Executive Editor of CHEST, the ACCP’s flagship journal. During my 15 years here, ACCP has focused on growing and developing the editorial, technological, and business aspects of the College. We are constantly striving to make the journal and other ACCP educational content as accessible and useful to clinicians as possible.

When not at work, I like to spend time scuba diving with sharks, collecting original comic book artwork, exploring the digital world, and searching for good BBQ.

Your feedback about the blog is always appreciated. So are tips on good BBQ joints.