Jay Banerjee: Revolutionizing the Medical Field through VR/AR
Jay Banerjee is the COO and co-founder of Immersive Touch: a company that specializes in utilizing AR/VR technologies to help in the medical industry. The company started under a US grant initiative and was developed as an NIH training tool. However, four years after, there was still a huge need for surgical planning. As a result, Jay Banerjee and his team set out to develop their technology. Jay Banerjee posits that the strengths of their product lies in its ability to allow surgeons to plan and practice surgeries ahead of time — increasing workflow efficiency as well as outcome. However, the main idea behind Immersive Touch is that technology can bridge gaps in the medical field as well as personalize care for patients.
Banerjee discusses that surgeons of all ages appreciate Immersive Touch, and many of his best users are above sixty years old. Both older and younger generations of surgeons utilize surgical planning to not only prepare for individual surgeries, but also to develop trust with patients. By taking patients’ individual data, such as MRI scans, Immersive Touch is able to map out each individual’s physical structure, helping to maximize beneficial outcomes.
In terms of the company itself, Banerjee can see it being used in every hospital around the world — their product already exists in close to fifty hospitals. Furthermore, he imagines that growth can be fully realized with a robust sales team and double the existing number of engineers and technical professionals. In terms of geography, Banerjee sees China and India as two countries with incredible markets to enter: strong government support and a need for more trained professionals aid their potential for growth.
In terms of limitations, Banerjee does not see computing power as a potential deterrent. However, he does point out that currently his company is reliant on AR/VR companies though he believes that these companies will grow in tandem with Immersive Touch. On a final note about his company’s success, he describes that good leadership and good team motivation has allowed Immersive Touch to grow. He advises college students to focus on careers in analysis and creativity, believing that these skills will be irreplaceable in a future workplace driven by technology.