Lead PI:
Center Researchers:
The Challenge
Understanding complex cardiovascular structures and hemodynamic behavior is critical for both biomedical research and clinical decision-making. Traditional 2D visualization tools often fall short when analyzing intricate vascular geometries, limiting researchers’ ability to fully interpret patient-specific hemodynamic models.
Moreover, while computational simulations provide invaluable insights into blood flow dynamics, their interpretation is often constrained by the lack of intuitive visualization platforms. Researchers and clinicians require a more immersive and interactive approach to studying arterial flow and disease progression, one that can improve spatial understanding and streamline workflow efficiency.
There is a pressing need for an advanced visualization tool that enhances the accessibility and interpretability of computational hemodynamics while seamlessly integrating into existing research and clinical pipelines.
Our Solution
To address these challenges, we developed the HARVEY Visualization (Harvis) tool —a cutting-edge extended reality (XR) platform designed to revolutionize cardiovascular visualization. Harvis integrates virtual reality (VR), interactive geometry modification, and immersive flow visualization to provide an intuitive and efficient way to explore patient-specific vascular models. It provides an interactive graphical user interface (GUI) and flexible XR support for HARVEY.
Key features include:
- Immersive visualization: Supports both semi-immersive (zSpace 3D) and fully immersive (HTC Vive) VR environments, enabling users to interact with 3D vascular geometries in real time.
- Quantitative user evaluation: In a user study with 31 participants, semi-immersive VR demonstrated improved accuracy for analyzing arterial flow models compared to fully immersive VR, especially in complex branching structures.
- Streamlined workflow: Provides a seamless pipeline for importing, modifying, and analyzing 3D vascular geometries, reducing the cognitive burden on researchers and clinicians.
- Flexible interface: Compatible with various VR devices and built with open-source technologies, ensuring adaptability for both research and future clinical applications.
By enhancing how vascular flow simulations are visualized and interpreted, Harvis empowers researchers and clinicians with a more intuitive, accurate, and immersive tool for studying cardiovascular disease progression, treatment planning, and biomedical research.
Harvis is shaping the future of computational hemodynamics and virtual cardiovascular modeling, making complex data more accessible and actionable in both research and clinical settings.