Augmented reality showing an expert's eye gaze to guide trainees during endoscopic kidney stone surgery.

Evaluation of Eye Gaze Sharing in the Operating Room

Not applicable Interventional Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NCT07173309

This project will test whether an augmented reality hologram of an expert surgeon's eye gaze helps urology residents more completely explore the kidney during endoscopic stone procedures.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment15 (estimated)
Ages13 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorVanderbilt University Medical Center Academic / other
Locations1 site (Nashville, Tennessee)
Trial IDNCT07173309 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Surgical trainees and expert surgeons wear the HoloLens 2 in the operating room while performing endoscopic kidney stone procedures, and the investigators record eye gaze data from both. In the experimental arm, trainees receive a holographic overlay that shows the expert's gaze in real time in addition to usual verbal guidance, with the AR enabled only during the kidney exploration phase. In the control arm, trainees receive standard verbal guidance without the holographic gaze overlay. The trial compares trainee performance and eye-gaze patterns with and without gaze-sharing to determine whether the holographic guidance improves intraoperative visualization during exploration.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Urology residents at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who perform endoscopic kidney stone procedures are the intended participants.

Not a fit: Patients treated by highly experienced surgeons or patients not undergoing endoscopic kidney stone procedures are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this training-focused intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help trainees find and clear more stone fragments during surgery, reducing repeat procedures and related complications.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work in augmented reality and gaze-guidance for surgical training and simulated tasks has shown promising improvements, but intraoperative gaze-sharing for endoscopic stone surgery is a relatively novel application.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Urology residents at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Exclusion Criteria:

\-

Where this trial is running

Nashville, Tennessee

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Kidney StonesAugmented RealityGaze Guidance
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.