Kinect will be used to perform surgery

Researchers at the 3-D Imaging in Medicine Group in Germany are developing a 3D camera based on the Kinect sensor will help surgeons perform minimally invasive operations with greater ease.

This isn’t the first time that the Kinect or 3D-based technologies have been used for medical purposes. For example:

• Tele-rehabilitation booming with Kinect
• Medical students perform "cyber surgery" with 3D holographic images
• 3D imaging machine helps physicians identify cancer earlier, more frequently

In this case, a sensor developed by the researchers will be mounted on the far end of an endoscope and will provide a horizontal, steady image according to Dr. Kurt Höller, managing director of the ZiMT - an official partner of the research group. This device will be beneficial because surgeons become completely dependent on the camera to act as their “eye” for the operation.

Another medical application that employs 3D imaging is at a German company called Metrilus that recently showcased an instrument for respiratory gating on the basis of time-of-flight 3D cameras, according to The Future of Things.

When you look at all of the ways that the Kinect is now being used, it’s rather funny to think that it started out as an add-on for a video game!