Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- Mixed reality (MR) combines virtual reality elements with human vision. Head-mounted devices use clear screens to give users an unobstructed view, but various technologies can be used to project images onto the screen. In the healthcare field, MR can provide new ways of interacting with patients. 

KT, a top telecom company in South Korea, teamed up with Samsung Medical Center based in Seoul to research MR solutions and new content that could be used to prevent dementia and develop brain and cognitive abilities.

KT will work with Samsung Medical Center's brain nerve center and dementia research center to verify data related to brain and cognitive development effects. To increase the reliability of data, they would use indexes of organizations that specialize in physical ability measurement.

"By combining KT's realistic media technology with Samsung Medical Center's medical capabilities, innovative medical and healthcare services will be introduced," KT's new media business head Kim Hoon-bae said. The telecom company is trying to apply 5G technologies to autonomous driving and other sectors.

With MR technologies, health centers can allow professionals to spend more time with patients as MR headsets can detect patients and instantly provide relevant medical information to doctors.

"Based on the medical research capabilities of Samsung Medical Center's medical staff, we will actively cooperate with KT to develop content and use mixed reality services widely in the medical field," said Lee Kyu-sung from Samsung Medical Center's research center for future medince.