What Is Old Is New Again—Use of Augmented Reality in Craniometric Point Identification and Neuroanatomy Education

Traditional methods of teaching neurosurgery have often been inadequate in capturing the interest of students and maintaining their attention throughout the learning process. Augmented reality (AR) technology has been proposed as a solution to this problem by providing an interactive and immersive experience for students. In this article, we use an AR application on the Microsoft HoloLens 2 to educate students about neuroanatomy, promote greater interest and engagement with the field of neurosurgery, and facilitate communication between students and neurosurgeons. We present an exercise in which the AR application was used to educate high school students on skull-based craniometric landmarks commonly used by neurosurgeons. Students were asked to locate points on the skull with and without the assistance of AR and were surveyed about their experience using AR. The results suggest greater student engagement and a positive learning experience. Students were able to target craniometric points on the skull with greater accuracy using AR than without. Overall, students felt that incorporating AR into their education improved their ability to learn neuroanatomy and increased their interest in the field of neurosurgery. This study provides a pilot feasibility study with findings that suggest that AR has the potential to enhance the way neurosurgery and neuroanatomy are introduced to early learners through increased interaction and engagement.