What happened

Netherlands-based 1Minuut Innovation is launching an all-in-one mobile health communication platform that will make extensive use of augmented reality eyewear for point-of-view video sharing for telehealth purposes.

Called Genzõ, the platform was developed through partnerships with Vuzix, maker of the M300 Smart Glasses used in the platform, and Deloitte Assuring Medical Apps Netherlands.

The core of the mobile platform is a privacy-minded healthcare data communication tool for providers and patients. But while the encrypted, GDPR-compliant offering acts as both a medical scribe and a secure messaging and video call tool, it also has a substantial focus on real-time telemedicine care. By integrating with Vuzix’s Smart Glasses, providers can send videos and communicate remotely with other specialists, and keep their hands free while doing so.

Why it matters

Genzõ is a new tool to help clinicians better communicate. 1Minuut writes on its website that the new platform was built alongside providers to address healthcare institutions’ needs, and that improved outcomes reported in early case studies suggest a clear business case for the industry.

What’s the trend

Although the rollouts Google Glass and Snapchat's Spectacles suggest that the average consumer may be hesitant to embrace AR glasses, healthcare and enterprise has been warming up to the technology.

A slew of researchers and tech firms have begun to embrace Microsoft’s HoloLens for medical purposes — for instance, overlaying medical images during reconstructive surgery or gamifying health screenings. Startups have also adopted Google Glass for tasks similar to those touted by Genzõ with varying levels of success; wheras Pristine pivoted its video streaming and clinical checklist offering toward non-healthcare industries, Augmedix continues to offer its Google Glass-based clinical documentation services.  

With these in mind, what will likely set Genzõ apart from prior services is the holistic messaging, teleconferencing, and data sharing ecosystem in which the AR functionalities are housed.  

Our take

Aside from hands-free video, do the smart glasses add any functionalities that couldn’t be delivered through a standard smartphone camera? From here, it’s hard to say whether the technology will justify the additional hardware costs for 1Minuut’s mobile platform.

Their take

"1Minuut is trailblazing the health care industry through the creation of their Genzõ mobile platform that was built around our M300 Smart Glasses to deliver new experiences that improve the quality and speed of care as well as the appreciation of life for patients," Paul Travers, president and CEO of Vuzix, said in a statement. "Vuzix looks forward to supporting 1Minuut's efforts as they continue to roll out their M300 Smart Glasses based solution across the health care industry and positively impact so many more patients in need."