"IUCRC Phase I University of Michigan: Center for Medical Innovations in Extended Reality (MIXR)"

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

The Center for Medical Innovations in Extended Reality (MIXR) integrates computer science and engineering with medical and clinical sciences to develop and establish scientific foundations for designing and assessing medical extended reality (XR) applications. Working with industry partners to broaden the safe deployment of XR, the Center focuses on new technologies and regulatory pathways to improve healthcare equity and access, patient management, and medical outcomes across all areas of clinical practice. MIXR has identified driving applications in clinical practice, education, and regulatory standards for XR. The University of Michigan will focus on unmet research needs related to 1) education and simulation (using mixed and virtual reality headsets) 2) telemedicine (using mixed reality headsets and smart glasses over 5G/6G network); and 3) artificial intelligence and deep machine learning methods for clinical decision making. Quantitative and qualitative analysis will be used to evaluate new technologies, while research outcomes will provide the scientific foundation in support of regulatory requirements, evaluation, and implementation of XR devices across a range of clinical and educational applications. XR device evaluation lags significantly behind technological innovation, increasing the risk of ineffective or unsafe applications and delaying clinical implementation. This effort’s broader impact will be addressing open research questions for the evaluation of medical XR devices. Supporting NSF’s mission, this will assure public safety around these technologies and improve health care outcomes. In collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, project outcomes will provide the scientific foundation supporting regulatory requirements on and decisions regarding medical XR devices. Further, MIXR’s multi-faceted strategic approach for creating educational opportunities for underrepresented students focuses on access, community, and innovation. Data, software, findings, and publications resulting from this project will be archived across the sites, but with a central server at http://mixr.umd.edu to facilitate ease of discovery. Research and archival staff will review the data collected during this project before release to the public. It shall be publicly available for at least three years after the project. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.