By Kara Ngo
Spatial computing is a groundbreaking technology that merges physical and digital realities, aiming to transform healthcare. By enabling interactions with data in three-dimensional formats, this innovation is reshaping medical education, mental health treatment, and clinical training.
What makes spatial computing groundbreaking is its ability to combine immersive virtual environments with real-world applications. Medical professionals can now train for complex procedures in lifelike simulations, enhancing their confidence and skill without risks to patients. Similarly, patients can better understand their treatments through visualization tools, allowing them to take an active role in their healthcare.
Already, devices like the Apple Vision Pro are being used to provide immersive simulations for medical training.
Dr. Brian Lichtenstein, an internal medicine physician and associate chief medical informatics officer for Sharp HealthCare, describes spatial computing as “a new paradigm for computing” that opens up “many interesting options for healthcare.”
This transformative technology allows clinicians to practice complex procedures in virtual environments, ensuring safer and more effective treatments. Beyond training and patient education, spatial computing is also addressing critical mental health needs. Virtual reality therapies, for instance, are helping patients manage anxiety, PTSD, and phobias in ways traditional treatments cannot. A study published in npj Digital Medicine highlights the potential of AI-driven therapy, showing that patients engage meaningfully with AI avatars and find the experience helpful and safe.
“There is a real role for spatial computing to enhance the productivity of the whole healthcare system,” Dr. Andrew Gostine said, as CEO of Artisight and a critical care anesthesiologist at Northwestern Medicine.
As spatial computing evolves, its next steps are focused on breaking down barriers in healthcare delivery. Remote diagnostics, wearable health devices, and automated systems powered by spatial computing could bring care to underserved regions, addressing systemic inequities. Its integration into daily life may also shift healthcare from a reactive to a proactive approach. With spatial computing, individuals can now actively manage their well-being through continuous monitoring and feedback instead of treating illnesses as they arise.
