A pioneering technology inspired by Harry Potter that uses augmented reality (AR) to guide families through cleft lip surgery has received widespread recognition.
The app works like The Daily Prophet, the wizarding newspaper in Harry Potter, famous for its animated, moving pictures.
Professor Steven Lo, a consultant plastic surgeon with NHS Greater Glasgow’s Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit and Innovation Fellow at the West of Scotland Innovation Hub, led the project alongside Professor Paul Chapman, director of Emerging Technology at The Glasgow School of Art.
Their efforts were highly commended at the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards.
Professor Steven Lo said: ‘We took inspiration from the newspapers in Harry Potter, which come to life to tell a story. We wanted to give patients’ families the opportunity to learn more about what was going on in a visual way. Around 20% of the population have literacy challenges, meaning they cannot read or write, and about 40% say they don’t understand medical terms. We also have patients who don’t speak English as a first language, and those with dyslexia, so we wanted to bridge that gap and provide something that everyone could understand and benefit from.’
The team co-developed the Cleft Lip Education through Augmented Reality (CLEAR) programme, which employs a completely visual form of communication, overcoming barriers caused by language, literacy, dyslexia, and learning difficulties.
By scanning a specially designed leaflet with a smartphone or tablet, patients and families can view a lifelike, animated 3D model that guides them through the surgical process.
This is designed to help to reduce anxiety and enhance understanding ahead of their child’s operation.
The programme was developed in partnership with the Glasgow School of Art and the West of Scotland Innovation Hub, with funding from the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
The leaflet initially supported families in Greater Glasgow and Clyde as part of a 2023 pilot and was made available for wider distribution in 2024.
The team is now working on a breast care augmented reality app, similarly designed to help women prepare for breast reconstruction surgery after cancer treatment.
The app also uses AR to visually demonstrate the main steps of the procedure, helping patients better understand what it entails, and is expected to be available for patient use later this year.
