(Newswire.net — August 19, 2021) —
Humans are a species defined by the tools they use. Most of us augment ourselves subtly, wearing glasses or walking with a cane. But when these innovations emerge suddenly and shake up old expectations or procedures, they are referred to as disruptive technology. Tim Murawski, President & CCO Augmedics, has been in the disruptive technology business for his entire career. Whether it came to mitigating unnecessary injuries via syringe or developing orthopedic technology to reduce the invasiveness of a spinal procedure, Tim Murawski has his name on it. After all, the burden of any piece of disruptive technology is to convince potential users that the novelty of innovation should not scare them off. In the case of the xvision from Augmedics, not only do the benefits outweigh the risks, but the reduced cost is undeniable.
Technology that assists orthopedic physicians has historically been cumbersome to the point of uselessness. The precision and concentration required for work on the spine makes it difficult for the operating physician to split their attention. The xvision has altered that experience concretely by offering the closest thing to X-Ray vision on the market, a 3d display superimposed on the patient, offering tip-of-the-spear information and the real-time CT readout of the patient’s spine. The technology is gaining momentum and international attention as it has been implemented into private practice, but now more eyes are on Augmedics than ever. Their proprietary technology, the xvision, has been shortlisted for the 2021 Index Award, meant to celebrate innovations in design that improve day-to-day life. The road from “disruptive technology” to becoming an essential piece of medical equipment available in every hospital is arduous, but thanks to awards like these and the marketing savvy of Tim Murawski, xvision is on its way from novelty to ubiquity.
What is the Index Award?
The qualifications for the Index Award could not be simpler, but that is what makes the competition so steep. The award is meant to celebrate any piece of design that improves life. Often these designs, just like the xvision, are obscure during their nomination, but household names after the fact. The now world-renowned electric car company, Tesla, received an Index Award back when in 2007 when knowledge of it was still relatively niche. Raspberry Pi, the incredibly compact, single-board computer, now a commonly used tool among programmers, and computer scientists, won an award back in 2013. The most important qualifications are that the design is no older than five years and that it addresses genuine needs and improves life as a result. Beyond that, the innovation can be anything from a piece of architecture or medical technology to a new service or even a new concept. Whether it’s intangible or tangible, as long as it improves life, it qualifies.
The field Augmedics competed in was substantial, with some 1500 other applicants. Having made it to the shortlist is already a phenomenal feat for the up-and-coming medical technology company. After that, it will be up to the jury for the Index Award to judge xvision and other innovations through a set of three criteria: form, impact, and context. In each of these fields, Augmedics’ proprietary technology has the chance to excel above the competition.
Augmedics stands out among the Competition
The first of the Index Award’s criteria is form. Simply put, it’s concerned with the aesthetics of the design. The xvision has an immediate advantage in this category due to its sleek, compact, and minimalist form factor. Especially in the field of orthopedics, non-invasive, compact technology is hard to come by. By not only freeing up an operating doctor physically but being sleek and comfortable, xvision meets and exceeds expectations in form. The user interface, which so often scares off medical practitioners from new innovations, is built from the top down in the xvision to be seamless and nonintrusive. The best part is that the form of the device contributes directly to the next piece of criteria for the Index Award: Impact.
In 2017, 5.2 million spinal operations were performed worldwide, and the number is projected to hit 7.6 million by 2022. The need for spinal operations is incontrovertible, and any innovation that makes those operations easier has innate and far-reaching value. The convenience of xvision cannot be understated, with its ability to project a three-dimensional layout of the spine and other patient information directly on the patient. Not only has xvision demonstrated 98.8% overall percutaneous implant placement accuracy, but it has now been approved by the FDA. This is especially noteworthy because it’s the first augmented reality guidance system to do so. The system has only been commercially available since the back half of 2020 and already over 250 operations have been performed using xvision. This brings us to the final piece of criteria for the Index Award: context.
Why is this technology needed now? Who needs it? Are there elements of the design that clash with modern expectations and social mores? The context category is in place for the jury to determine all of this. They will find that xvision, like other pieces of “disruptive technology” Tim Murawski has built his career around pushing into the spotlight, is meeting the precise needs of the moment. Orthopedic operations are incredibly delicate, demanding complete and total concentration. By offering all the information a doctor needs in their immediate field of view, xvision not only mitigates the amount of time spent operating, but the amount of pain a patient could experience. Through its easy-to-use form factor and inexpensive price point, xvision is poised to succeed where previous spinal navigation technologies have failed. Xvision’s founder, Nissan Elimelech, when explaining why he began Augmedics, bemoaned the state of innovation in orthopedics. The cycle of a hospital investing in a new piece of equipment required the operator to look away and wound up gathering dust in a corner. User-friendliness and accessibility are at an all-time premium, and xvision is well suited to meet that demand.
Tim Murawski’s faith in the future
If today’s language were applied historically, some of our oldest innovations could be called “disruptive technology.” The phrase has a negative connotation and is often associated with designs that never take hold. The wheel and the steam engine could also be called disruptive because they were never seen before, but they dramatically changed the way we live and work after they came about. Tim Murawski’s life’s work is the popularization of new ways to make life better: for physicians, patients, and everyone in between. When we look back on 2021’s Index Award winner, chances are we’ll see something that felt strange and new when it arrived on the market, but can now be found in every hospital in America. With its use of cutting-edge augmented reality to mitigate operation time and pain for patients, xvision is a glimpse at the future, and the future looks bright.