Taiwan has pioneered a groundbreaking light field augmented reality (AR) display technology for smart medicine, addressing common issues like dizziness, eye strain, and lack of depth perception typically associated with AR devices. This advanced technology is set to revolutionize high-precision medical procedures, such as minimally invasive surgeries, according to an October 16 announcement by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).
The breakthrough was achieved by a research team co-led by Professor Homer Chen from the Graduate Institute of Communication Engineering at National Taiwan University (NTU) and NTU Hospital Superintendent Ming-Shiang Wu, in collaboration with PetaRay, an NTU spin-off startup. Supported by NSTC's display technology project, the team has developed world-leading light field AR display technology, which could significantly enhance medical practices.
One key innovation is the automatic alignment system, which allows for precise overlaying of a digital twin of an organ onto the real human body. In the future, this technology will enable surgeons to visualize the inside of the human body without relying on radiation-based medical imaging, ensuring accurate organ positioning. Initially, it will be applied to gallbladder drainage procedures, to reduce surgery time and radiation exposure, marking a significant advancement in medical technology integration.
Professor Chen highlighted that traditional AR devices often cause discomfort because they cannot align the user's focus and line of sight simultaneously. In contrast, light field display technology projects light from a scene directly into the eye, allowing users to adjust focus naturally and perceive 3D objects with the realism of viewing actual objects. This enhanced depth perception and comfort make light field displays particularly valuable in medical applications where precision is crucial.
NSTC further noted that the research team has focused primarily on clinical applications such as 3D stomach reconstruction, gaze tracking, and AR-guided minimally invasive surgeries, addressing the limitations of traditional 2D medical imaging, which lacks depth information. This helps to improve medical training efficiency and the overall quality of diagnosis and treatment.
Light field near-eye displays remain rare, but Taiwan's development using Micro LED technology has overcome several technical challenges, resulting in significant improvements in depth perception and visual comfort. The system also features key advantages such as no need for eye tracking, the absence of moving mechanical components, reduced power consumption, a miniaturized and lightweight design, and the ability to generate real-time light fields.
