Apple’s Vision Pro headset is moving from consumer tech to operating rooms. A new medical trial will explore how the device can assist doctors during colonoscopies to improve the detection of cancerous polyps.
Vision Pro Joins Forces with AI in Medicine
In a collaboration between Cosmo Pharmaceuticals and Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center, doctors will begin testing the Vision Pro in July 2025. The goal is to combine Apple’s spatial computing capabilities with GI Genius, an AI-based detection system developed by Medtronic.
The GI Genius tool already helps doctors identify potentially cancerous growths by increasing adenoma detection rates by over 14%. Now, paired with Vision Pro, the system will overlay real-time data in the doctor’s field of view. This could remove the need to look at separate monitors, making procedures more efficient.
Real-Time Data, Hands-Free Navigation
During a colonoscopy, the doctor must closely monitor the screen for early signs of colorectal cancer. Vision Pro changes that process by placing information directly in their line of sight. This hands-free approach could enhance both focus and speed.
Dr. Irving Waxman, Chief of Digestive Diseases at Rush, will lead the study. He and his team believe the combination of AI and spatial computing has the potential to transform how physicians work.
Growing Interest in Health Tech
This isn’t the first time Vision Pro has appeared in a medical setting. Surgeons in India have already used it during keyhole operations. Some U.S. doctors also see potential uses for anesthesia and patient monitoring.
However, this trial marks a key step forward—bringing Apple’s technology into cancer screening. If successful, it may inspire broader use of augmented reality tools in hospitals.
