A new guideline for medical extended reality

The American Medical Extended Reality Association (AMXRA), in partnership with the editorial board of the Journal of Medical Extended Reality, has developed a new guideline to help define the emerging field of Medical Extended Reality (MXR). The document is published in the Journal of Medical Extended Reality.

MXR has emerged as a dynamic field at the intersection of health care and immersive technology, encompassing virtual, augmented, and mixed-reality applications across a wide range of medical disciplines. The field lacked a standardized framework to categorize its diverse research and applications. Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, from Cedars-Sinai, and co-authors present the new guideline, which seeks to standardize terminology, categorize existing work, and provide a structured framework for future research development in MXR.

At the core of the new framework are five overarching domains: technological integration and innovation; design, development, and deployment; clinical and therapeutic applications; education, training, and communication; and ethical, regulatory, and socio-economic considerations.

"With this work, we have formulated an initial taxonomy with five core domains, encompassing 13 primary topics and a comprehensive set of 180 secondary topics," stated the authors. "This taxonomy offers a tool for researchers, practitioners, funders, industry, and other groups to systematically classify and navigate the complexities of the MXR field."

"This blueprint serves as a crucial tool for harmonizing communication and collaboration among researchers, clinicians, educators, and policymakers, and it establishes a common language and structure that will support the field's continued growth and integration into health care," says Dr. Spiegel, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Medical Extended Reality.