How Augmented Reality Can Improve Studying Anatomy

In daily practice, anatomy education is facilitated by cadavers, models, and drawings. However, the use of cadavers is known to have practical and ethical drawbacks.

The lack of other teaching tools in some countries and the increased use of technological methods of teaching merit a more up-to-date, alternative method.

Based on this meta-analysis, the authors concluded that augmented reality (AR) could serve as a beneficial educational tool.

Several augmented reality applications are currently making it possible, using smart glasses, to improve how human anatomy is studied and viewed, whether for medical students, residents, or even surgeons.

HoloAnatomy is a Microsoft application that was designed to visualize the human body in 3D using mixed reality glasses HoloLens 2.

Users can see the entire anatomy of the human body, from the muscles to the most minor veins under their eyes, on a dynamic holographic model.

Students will be able to see the human body in 3D and interact with the different holograms, which is crucial at dissection.

AnatomyX is another example of the application of augmented reality in anatomy study, facilitating the creation of an immersive 3D space allowing multiple users to interact with a real-time anatomy-part model.

Whether these users are in the same room, or thousands of kilometers away (remote learning).

There are different augmented reality applications for anatomy studies with smartphone applications, but those providing interaction with models with smart glasses are the most promising.