In February 2024, the debut of Apple Vision Pro catapulted AR and VR technology back into the limelight. However, while Vision Pro’s appeal is mainly associated with real use cases in immersive gaming and fitness, the potential of Apple Vision Pro in healthcare app development is less explored.
As we cull it from the online collective hive mind, Apple plans to make its new headgear the next big thing in the healthcare space. But is there tangible value beyond the hype? And should you jump head-first into Vision Pro healthcare app development? Our experts break it down for you.
A look inside Apple Vision Pro
Apple Vision Pro is a mixed-reality headset that blends digital content with the physical world, transforming your space with apps, entertainment, photos, videos, and more. According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple Vision Pro marks a new era in technology and “introduces users to spatial computing.” Vision Pro applications run on the visionOS platform, which is Apple's first spatial operating system, designed specifically for its XR headgear.
What makes the Vision Pro device different is the way it merges the two worlds, allowing apps and digital content to live in your space. As of March 2024, users can find over 600 new spatial experiences in the all-new App Store, alongside 1+ million compatible apps across iOS and iPadOS.
Unique features of Apple Vision Pro that make the latest talk in the tech town
Resembling a pair of ski goggles, the device sports a curved front with an external screen for EyeSight, a brand-new feature that displays your actual eyes to those nearby.
The device has a raft of other innovative features in store:
- Hand, eye, and voice management – users can interact with the interface by using their senses.
- 3D Persona – a dynamic digital avatar that captures the user's face and hand movements in real time.
- Automated spatial awareness – equipped with advanced spatial mapping algorithms, the device helps you stay aware of your surroundings, preventing collisions with furniture and other physical objects.
- High-resolution passthrough – with Apple Vision Pro, users can seamlessly overlay virtual designs on physical spaces.
- Customizable environments – users can transform their physical environments into stunning landscapes, with effects and subtle videos weaved in.
The device doesn’t have any specific health and fitness features, so app developers can leverage the features mentioned above and tap into the variety of machine learning and computer vision technologies to build a mixed-reality health or fitness app. Also, Apple Vision Pro apps can use all the bells and whistles of 3D content, real-world sensing and mapping, streaming processing, and a whole lot of other next-gen features.
Real-world applications of Apple Vision Pro in healthcare
Unlike precursors like Meta's Oculus headsets that lack existing use cases, Apple Vision Pro has already made its way into healthcare. And here’s another twist: the medical community is supportive of the technology with 75% of US medical professionals being open to exploring the use of Vision Pro devices at work. Ok, doc: but how exactly are early adopters putting it to work in healthcare?
Patient data visualization
The spatial computing device allows physicians to have vital health data in their field of view during exams. Doctors can keep anything from test results to medical records and Apple Watch datasets at the forefront, facilitating data-informed diagnosis.
Epic Systems, one of the largest providers of health information technology, has recently jumped at the opportunity. The EHR provider is rolling out its Epic Spatial Computing Concept app for Apple Vision Pro to allow physicians and clinicians to handle charting, review labs, and communicate via secure chat.
Surgery preparation and training
Medical teams can use a Vision Pro during surgery preparations to visualize a patient’s autonomy, select tools, and monitor the surgery process. The headgear also provides a virtual environment for surgeons to practice in and improve their surgical precision without putting patients at risk.
And these are not theoretical considerations: a medical team in the UK had VR goggles during two spinal surgeries. The app market keeps up with demand. The new myMako app, designed specifically for visionOS, allows surgeons to visualize and review patients' Mako surgical plans, while the brand-new CyranoHealth app delivers an immersive training experience for healthcare workers.
Startups are also willing to catch the wave and make ground with the leading players. FundamentalVR startup pushed out an app for the Vision Pro, currently available on an “invite-only” basis, for a simulated catheter placement procedure.
Medical imaging and diagnostics
The unmatched eye-tracking technology enables the spatial headset to pick up conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular conditions, retinal diseases, and neurological disorders. With advanced visualization tools, high-resolution displays, and integrated AI algorithms, Vision Pro turns into a robust processing engine for medical imaging, giving deeper insights into the patient's health and facilitating proactive health monitoring.
UC San Diego Health became the first health system to pilot Vision Pro-enabled imaging. The hospital system adopted the Visage Ease VP app, a new diagnostic imaging platform designed by an enterprise imaging solutions provider for Apple Vision Pro.
The visionOS ecosystem has recently welcomed a handful of other medical imaging apps. Medivis and Falcon Vue put a new spin on radiology technology, helping practitioners improve patient outcomes.
Behavioral health and wellness
AR and VR technologies have long been used to augment mental health apps and wellness solutions with immersive experiences. Vision Pro takes it up the ante, offering a gateway into full-blown immersive therapy sessions. The device can also gauge a wearer's facial expressions to detect depression and anxiety or estimate stress levels.
The Xaia app is a fine specimen of the new, visionOS breed of mental health apps. It features a 3D avatar to emulate a human therapist and lead a patient through an adaptive and fully immersive therapy session.
As for mindfulness practice, meditation apps like Odio and TRIPP bank on Vision Pro’s Spatial Audio capabilities and intuitive gestures to create relaxing spatial environments.
Medical training and onboarding
Apple Vision Pro provides a simulated, risk-free environment for medical training, allowing both students and practitioners to hone their skills and address gaps in their knowledge. Accessible and versatile, the headset can simulate high-pressure ER scenarios, present 3D models of anatomical structures, and visualize CT and MRI scans. Newly hired medical professionals can also benefit from interactive walkthroughs and enjoy a consistent onboarding experience.
This application has already found its way into the real world. Medical publisher Elsevier has debuted Complete HeartX, a groundbreaking educational app that runs on visionOS and guides students through human anatomy and physiology with the help of interactive 3D models, images, and simulations.
So far so good, right? Especially for something as recent as Apple Vision Pro. However, its future in healthcare is tinged with uncertainty. Here’s why.
Challenges of adopting Vision Pro for healthcare app development
Like with any other cutting-edge technology, early adopters of Vision Pro have to grapple with stringent healthcare regulations, privacy concerns, and the affordability of the solution.
Privacy and security concerns
Right out of the gate, the device came under fire for bringing along a whole new dimension of privacy risks. According to the privacy policy, Apple Vision Pro, like other Apple products, has built-in security features, including data minimization, on-device data processing, transparency of data protection, and more. However, all these do not suffice healthcare data security standards.
We still don’t know how the device assists in safeguarding patient data and maintaining patient confidentiality. Additionally, there are concerns about the collection, storage, and usage of user data by Apple. The device gets detailed insights into the space around the user, their body, and motion — and it’s unclear what visibility third-party apps have into this data.
Surely, this makes it challenging for Vision Pro apps to achieve full compliance with healthcare regulations such as HIPAA or GDPR.
Affordability and access
As trailblazing as the Apple Vision Pro feels right now, with the price tag of $3,499, it is unlikely to reach its potential in the cash-strapped healthcare industry. Besides, only 5% of the Americans surveyed have had the opportunity to use an Apple Vision Pro.
Rumor has it that Apple has a more affordable version of Vision Pro in the works that will cost around $1,500 to $2,500. It’s more palatable than $3,499 but still prohibitive for healthcare.
Device limitations
With a battery life of two and a half hours and a weight of 650 grams, the metal-framed device is suitable for short-term use only. This means that its application field is limited to minor procedures and brief tasks. Also, the bright lights of operating rooms stand in the way of passthrough VR, making it hard for surgeons to see the patient while projecting the MRI data.
Lack of high-quality medical images
The scarcity of high-quality medical images for training is the problem that holds true for all ML-enabled applications. Obtaining such data is resource-intensive and time-consuming, which can stymie the broad use of Apple Vision Pro in diagnostics.
Predictions for the future role of Apple Vision Pro in healthcare app development
We can’t tell for sure whether the device will become a ubiquitous tool in healthcare any time soon. However, one thing is certain: the launch of Apple Vision Pro can be the next leap forward, offering a new factor that revolutionizes telemedicine, chronic disease management, and preventive care.
In healthcare, Vision Pro adopters will likely find themselves in a tangle of regulatory problems and tech limitations, but on the other hand, it’s always the case with next-gen technologies in this industry.
Another factor that hints at the possibly bright future of Apple Vision Pro is that Apple pitches its product as a healthcare tool to the largest players in the industry. Sharp HealthCare, together with Epic and Elsevier, launched a spatial computing center of excellence featuring Apple Vision Pro. A partner ecosystem of this caliber can lay the first stone for the wide-scale adoption of VisionOS healthcare apps.
The proliferation of the device in healthcare also has a lot riding on the developer community. As of today, there are slightly over 600 apps on the visionOS Apple Store. If the ecosystem doesn’t catch on with developers, it is unlikely to make it far, irrespective of the industry.
Seize new opportunities with Orangesoft
Since 2011, Orangesoft has been helping healthcare organizations, clinics, medical device manufacturers, and healthcare startups build meaningful digital experiences that promote better care. Whether it’s a good-old iOS app or a spatial computing application for visionOS, our team has what it takes to create healthcare tech applications powered with the latest technology. Contact us to share your project details and create a digital product that resonates with the needs of modern healthcare.
