The Metaverse for Healthcare: Trends, Applications, and Future Directions of Digital Therapeutics for Urology

Abstract

In recent years, the emergence of digital therapeutics as a novel approach to managing conditions has garnered significant attention. This approach involves using evidence-based therapeutic interventions that are facilitated by high-quality software programs to treat, manage, or prevent medical conditions. The incorporation of digital therapeutics into the Metaverse has increased the feasibility of their implementation and application in all areas of medical services. In urology, substantial digital therapeutics are being produced and researched, including mobile apps, bladder devices, pelvic floor muscle trainers, smart toilet systems, mixed reality-guided training and surgery, and training and telemedicine for urological consultations. The purpose of this review article is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current impact of the Metaverse on the field of digital therapeutics and identify its current trends, applications, and future perspectives in the field of urology.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Algorithms in Medical Image Scan Segmentation and Intelligent Visual-Content Generation

“…Thus, the integration of AI and Metaverse is a fact and suggests that AI may become the dominant approach for image scan segmentation and intelligent visual-content generation in the whole virtual world, not just medical applications [6,159]. Recently, the Segment Anything Model (SAM) based on AI was introduced for natural images [89], in [160] SAM was proposed to be applied to medical images with a high level of accuracy.…”

“…Following Equation (2), the neuron's output 𝑚 𝑙 (𝑡) (membrane potential after the neuron firing) can be described as follows [29] 𝑚 𝑙 (𝑡) = 𝑣 𝑙 (𝑡 − 1) + 𝑊 𝑙 𝑥 𝑙−1 (𝑡) 𝑙 = 1, … , 𝑁 (5) where 𝑣 𝑙 denotes the membrane potential before the neuron fires, 𝑊 𝑙 is the weight in 𝑙-th layer (𝑙 denoted layer index), and 𝑥 𝑙−1 (𝑡) is the input from the last layer. Thus, to avoid the loss of information the reset-by-subtraction" mechanism was introduced [34] 𝑣 𝑙 (𝑡) − 𝑣 𝑙 (𝑡 − 1) = 𝑊 𝑙 𝑥 𝑙−1 (𝑡) − (𝐻(𝑚 𝑙 (𝑡) − 𝜽 𝑙 )𝜃 𝑙 ) (6) where 𝑣 𝑙 (𝑡) is membrane potential after firing, 𝑚 𝑙 (𝑡) − membrane potential before firing, 𝐻(𝑚 𝑙 (𝑡) − 𝜃 𝑙 ) refers to the output spikes of all neurons, and 𝜽 𝑙 is a vector of the firing threshold 𝜃 𝑙 . There are also some applications of the concepts of the metaneuron model in SNNs [35].…”

“…Recently, computer-generated three-dimensional (3D) images have become increasingly important in medical diagnostics [5,6]. In particular, Extended Reality (XR) so-called Metaverse is increasingly used in health care and medical education, while it enables the deeper experience of the virtual world, especially through the development of depth perception, including the rendering of several modalities like vision, touch, and hearing [7].…”

Mapping Metaverse Research: Identifying Future Research Areas Based on Bibliometric and Topic Modeling Techniques

“…Mohamed et al [141] synthesized the existing literature on the applications of the metaverse in e-healthcare and highlighted their role in reducing inequalities and delivering fair healthcare services. Similarly, Kim and Kim [142] investigated the applications of metaverse-based therapeutics in urology and underscored their potential to reduce healthcare costs, improve medical outcomes, and increase patient satisfaction. Ali et al [143] argued that the metaverse can improve healthcare facilities and provide faster as well as more efficient and secure services with realistic experiences when AI and blockchain technologies are integrated.…”

Dynamics in Neurourology

“…Finally, turning our attention to the metaverse’s role in neurourology, Kim and Kim [ 6 ] reported on evolving trends in digital therapeutics in urology and suggested potential trajectories for metaverse applications. This study reveals that the utilization of the metaverse within the medical sector is currently broadening, extending beyond clinical education to encompass areas such as diagnosis, consultation, and treatment assistance.…”