UAB recently hosted a VR/AR Association meeting that brought together innovators and experts from across the country to explore the application of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in solving real-world challenges.
Multiple faculty and staff members across UAB, including Jose Flores, associate director of Innovation at the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Melissa Mancini, associate vice president of Strategy and Business Development and associate chief innovation officer for the UAB Health System, Cori Perdue, Ph.D., director of Professional Education and associate vice president of Strategy and Business Development at the Collat School of Business, Kevin Hebert, associate dean for Technology and Technical Services at UAB Libraries, and UAB Department of Neurosurgery faculty collaborated to host the event.
The event drew over 250 attendees from diverse industries, highlighting the growing interest and potential of VR/AR technology. Attendees expressed enthusiasm about the event's energy and the opportunity to explore a range of applications and devices showcased by vendors as well as the extensive collection available through UAB's library system.
“I believe the conference was a fantastic first step towards connecting clinicians across the UAB campus with each other, engineers, and technology companies as we work to better leverage VR/AR technology for medical and surgical innovation,” said James Johnston, M.D., professor in the UAB Department of Neurosurgery.
Several UAB faculty and staff also showcased their work throughout the day, on both the main stage as well as in more informal panel discussions. The program, comprising specialists from various medical fields, showcased how VR/AR is revolutionizing health care delivery and demonstrated its tangible impact on patient care. Jake Godzik, M.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Neurosurgery, helped recruit the panelists, including his mentor, Todd Chang, M.D., who was the main speaker at the event.
"The meeting was an incredible experience, and truly served as a catalyst moment for this technology at UAB,” said Godzik. “For me, the highlight was the panelist session where we were able to discuss experiences and thoughts on the value of technology to all stakeholders across the patient care continuum. It was a widely popular and well-attended session, and I was energized by all the people I met.”
UAB presenters included:
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Steffane Battle, M.D., UAB Department of Pediatrics
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Erin Blanchard, Ph.D., UAB Department of Health Services Administration
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Michelle Brown, Ph.D., UAB Department of Health Services Administration
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Jakub Godzik, M.D., UAB Department of Neurosurgery
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Anna Hurst, M.D., MS, UAB Department of Genetics
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Hari Jeyarajan, M.D., UAB Department of Otolaryngology
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James Johnston, M.D., UAB Department of Neurosurgery
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Byron Lai, Ph.D., UAB Department of Pediatrics
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Scott Mabry, M.D., UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
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Matt Parr, M.D., UAB Department of Neurosurgery
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Andres Viles, MSN, R.N., CNS, CHSE, UAB Medicine Clinical Simulation
"This event allowed the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation and UAB Health System to highlight the great work being done by medical intrapreneurs—people looking to innovate health care in partnership with UAB for Alabamians," said Flores. "New partnerships have formed, and we are excited to nurture these new collaborations and guide them to implementation."
Post-event feedback for the VR/AR Association event at UAB was positive, emphasizing its significance in promoting extended reality (XR) technology in health care. Attendees found the experience immersive and noted the numerous possibilities VR/AR offers for medical innovation.
The event served as a catalyst for connecting across boundaries and inspiring future work and development. In the weeks following the event, numerous opportunities for internal and external collaboration have been initiated, positioning UAB as a leader in the exploration and application of VR/AR technology.