While Metaverse is evolving, it holds new potential in healthcare that combines the technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Internet of Medical Devices, Web 3.0, intelligent cloud, edge and quantum computing along with robotics to provide new directions to healthcare.

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Rise of Metaverse in Healthcare
By. Dr. Mahboob Ali Khan
While Metaverse is evolving, it holds new potential in healthcare that combines the
technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Internet of
Medical Devices, Web 3.0, intelligent cloud, edge and quantum computing along with
robotics to provide new directions to healthcare.
Howdy! We are back with an emerging topic in digital health space which is
about “Metaverse”. Lets first understand what is Metaverse; Metaverse is
the augmented virtual world which is derived by the convergence of virtual
and physical space, where users can interact within the augmented world, to
meet each other virtually and can immerse themselves in performing virtual
activities that gives real experiences.
While Metaverse is evolving, it holds new potential in healthcare that
combines the technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality,
Augmented Reality, Internet of Medical Devices, Web 3.0, intelligent cloud,
edge and quantum computing along with robotics to provide new directions
to healthcare.
But the larger question is - can it bring the cost down while we embed all of
them together to create the new health metaverse, in complying within the
regulation.
Nevertheless, lets look at some of the components of the metaverse, that are
already making mark in healthcare

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• Increase use of Virtua Reality in medical training
Virtual reality is getting used by doctors and experts to train fellow doctors
and medical staffs, wherein virtual reality can be leveraged to take a learner
within a human body and can provide 3600 view of patient’s ailment or to
replicate procedures that are applied in real world.
The entire interactions can be recorded and viewed over the desktop screens
to provide minute details

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• Use of Augmented reality in Surgical procedures
As surgical procedures were already using robotics, now complicated
surgeries are all set to use augmented realities. Be it removal of cancerous
tumors or performing a complicated spinal surgery, doctors are looking
forward to new ways of performing these surgeries with precision. Usage of
robotics or what is also known as robot assisted surgeries were already in use
to perform complicated procedures with precision and flexibility.

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• Gamification to connect and bring healthcare providers and
consumers together
As platforms like Roblox has changed the way gamification was perceived,
more and more users are finding ways to collaborate and connect with other
users. Now anyone can imagine, create or have funs with friends through
such platforms. When it comes to healthcare, gamification is restricted
largely towards wellness and fitness apps. With augmented reality has been
seen in smarter workouts or guiding through virtual instructors.
According to a report by GrandView Research , The global augmented
reality market size was valued at USD 17.67 billion in 2020. It is expected to
expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43.8% from 2021 to
2028.
According to Statista, the VR gaming market revenue in the United States
alone is forecast to generate up to 19.5 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2025.
• Interoperability a key component
As we know the next wave in healthcare is all about enhancing solutions
which are interoperable and open, the metaverse will not be complete if the

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assets and data that creates these metaverse aren’t easy to port amongst
different platforms and networks. Asset classes like avatars, 3D models,
mixed-reality, and spatial environments work together with their meta data
to form content packages that are the critical components of the metaverse.
As the industry would evolve data and communication standards will also
evolve making intra metaverse communication.
• Techs that will help build metaverse apps rapidly
With companies like Microsoft supporting different tech stacks to build
metaverse apps rapidly, this space is definitely going to get crowded. Some of
the tech stacks provided by Microsoft on Azure around Metaverse
• Microsoft Mesh and HoloLens
• Microsoft Power Platform
• Azure AI and Autonomous Systems
• Azure Synapse Analytics
• Azure Maps
• Azure Digital Twins
On the other side, AWS provides various solutions and services to enable
Game Tech –
• Amazon GameLift for dedicated server hosting and
• FleetIQ to support multiplayer games.
• Amazon Lumberyard game engine.
To conclude Metaverse is an emerging concept that will bring many new
dimensions as the big social players bring different aspects of virtual reality
and immersive experiences together, for healthcare segment which has
largely remain traditional, it will be a great tool to learn, empower and provide
blissful experiences to patients and providers.
Below are some of the interesting news -
Johns Hopkins Performs Its First Augmented Reality Surgeries in Patients
Johns Hopkins neurosurgeons have performed the institution’s first
augmented reality surgeries in living patients. During the first procedure on
June 8, 2020, the physicians placed six screws in a patient’s spine for spinal
fusion surgery to fuse three vertebrae in order to relieve the patient’s chronic,
debilitating back pain. For the second surgery on June 10, surgeons removed
a cancerous tumor known as a chordoma from the spine of a patient. The
doctors report that both patients are doing well.

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