Mixed Reality User Interface for a Hybrid Operation Room

Simultaneous use of multiple complex devices for imaging and intervention purposes in a Hybrid operation room creates new challenges to the medical staff, such as avoiding collisions of different systems. Augmented reality presents a potential solution to this challenge. By visually overlaying real devices with their digital twin, users can see anticipated movements of the medical devices in a head-mounted display. With this information they can identify potential collisions before moving the device. This paper focuses on the design of a novel mixed reality user interface for a Hybrid operating room, which enables users to control multiple devices virtually. Two versions of the mixed reality user interface with different user input approaches are compared in a within-subject study regarding their usability and their suitability in steering medical devices virtually. Users were significantly faster completing study tasks with the input module press and hold button than with a virtual joystick. Additionally user experience was rated higher for the press and hold button.