Inovus receives phase two funding for AR simulator

Inovus Medical announced this week that development of theirrevolutionary Augmented Reality (AR) laparoscopic simulator is to gather paceafter securing a £1million product development contract through SBRIHealthcare, funded by NHS England.

The technology, which is set to democratise access to highly realistic, affordable laparoscopic simulation, began development in 2018 thanks to an initial £100,000 SBRI phase one contract. Having successfully developed a functional beta product, and following presentation of the technology to the SBRI Healthcare panel earlier this year, Inovus has been awarded phase two funding to allow the company to complete development of a commercially ready offering. The contract was awarded in the technology in surgery category of SBRI Healthcare’s £5.56 million funding round in which there was a focus on improving preoperative surgical simulation.

The company has developed what it calls ‘functional Augmented Reality’ by merging real feel-soft tissue models with digital anatomy and ensuring seamless interaction between both the digital and real environments. The company has developed a proprietary method for triggering and managing intraoperative complications such as bleeding vessels and bowel perforations. The technology also allows tracking of decision making and tracking surgical performance combined with an online portfolio to show progression in skill over time.

Inovus has developed their newest technology with theirthree core values of affordability, accessibility and functionality in mind.The project will see the launch of a suite of simulators in early 2020 thatoffer improved realism in haptic feedback and immersion at a fraction of thecost of existing ‘high fidelity’ virtual reality simulators; trulydemocratising access to realistic laparoscopic simulation.

Inovus Medical CEO Dr. Elliot Street said: “There is agrowing disconnect between the increasing demands for trainee surgeons todemonstrate surgical proficiencies in the simulated environment, and readyaccess to realistic simulators to do this. The AR simulators we are developingare the perfect solution to that unmet need. We are extremely grateful to SBRIHealthcare for supporting our vision on this project and are excited to delivera successful second phase over the coming months.”

Professor Tony Young OBE, National Clinical lead forInnovation at NHS England and NHS Improvement said: “The fusion of virtualreality with keyhole surgical simulators represents the next step in how wetrain surgeons and the Pyxus-AR from Inovus is leading the way in this field.

"The SBRI award recognizes the cutting edge nature of this technology and I am delighted that this has arisen from one of our NHS Clinical Entrepreneurs, Dr. Elliot Street. Innovations like this can help us transform medical education and training and equip the NHS workforce with the skills and knowledge they need to deliver high quality patient care.”

This work was commissioned and funded by the SBRI Healthcareprogramme. SBRI Healthcare is an NHS England initiative, championed by the AcademicHealth Scienbec Networks (AHSNs).