A new collaboration between Medtronic and Surgical Theater will give surgeons an ‘augmented’ look at complex cranial procedures.

The Dublin-based company will use interface Surgical Theater's SyncAR augmented reality (AR) technology with its StealthStation S8 surgical navigation system. 

This collaboration will enable neurosurgeons to use AR technology in real-time to enhance visualization during complex cranial procedures. Using fighter-jet simulation technology, the SyncAR platform allows surgeons to visualize structures in the brain, test virtual surgical tools and plan surgeries before entering the operating room. 

"Medtronic's partnership with Surgical Theater expands the utility of cutting-edge AR planning technology, so that surgeons can use it in real-time to improve visualization during brain surgeries, which has the potential to make procedures more precise and efficient," said Linnea Burman, vice president and general manager, Enabling Technologies within the Cranial & Spinal Technologies business, which is part of the Neuroscience Portfolio at Medtronic.