Environmental News Network - Technology Allows Researchers to See Patients’ Real-Time Pain While in the Clinic

Details: By University of Michigan; 28.Jun

Many patients, especially those who are anesthetized or emotionally challenged, cannot communicate precisely about their pain.

Julie Swatson

Many patients, especially those who are anesthetized or emotionally challenged, cannot communicate precisely about their pain.

For this reason, University of Michigan researchers have developed a technology to help clinicians “see” and map patient pain in real-time, through special augmented reality glasses. Their small feasibility study appears in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

The technology was tested on 21 volunteer dental patients, and researchers hope to one day include other types of pain and conditions. It’s years away from widespread use in a clinical setting, but the feasibility study is a good first step for dental patients, said Alex DaSilva, associate professor at the U-M School of Dentistry and director of the Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort Lab.

The portable CLARAi (clinical augmented reality and artificial intelligence) platform combines visualization with brain data using neuroimaging to navigate through a patient’s brain while they’re in the chair.

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Technology Allows Researchers to See Patients’ Real-Time Pain While in the Clinic