Background

The purpose of this spatial computing is to allow virtual objects to be incorporated into one’s environment with respect to surroundings. In the automotive industry, this technology may come in the form of advanced GPS systems or autonomous vehicle systems. In the realm of entertainment, spatial computing may present itself in the form of virtual reality. Virtual reality itself can be utilized for a multitude of purposes, however, and is by no means limited to the entertainment industry alone. In the field of health, spatial computing is represented in various forms of extended reality. Extended reality, or XT, encompasses the entirety of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality (Taghian et al., 2023). It should be noted that there are differences between these forms of reality. VR utilizes optical systems and monitors to effectively capture the user within an entirely virtual world. Augmented reality, or AR, on the other hand, is an interactive system with an environment that uses optical systems to generate information corresponding to the user’s surroundings. Mixed reality, otherwise known as MR, is a mixture of the two AR and VR systems (Vardhan, 2023). These spatial computing systems, when applied correctly, allow one to gather a better understanding of their environment and provide the user with an alternative perspective. In relation to healthcare, XR allows users to improve overall performance when encountering a situation that would normally have severe physical risks whether in procedures or in training. This immersive medicine has great implications for surgical operations, medical training, and even rehabilitation. In India alone, the AR market is expected to expand at a rate of 38.29% by 2027 (Vardhan, 2023). Spatial technology, unfortunately, does not come without challenges or limitations.