The newer hardware is particularly important, too. Augmented reality surgery is nothing new, but HoloLens eliminates a large amount of the jittering and lag that simply wouldn't be acceptable during delicate operations.

Duke has only tested HoloLens on a model so far, and only with that one procedure. It won't shock you to hear that the school wants to prove the wearable can work in real situations and different procedures before there's widespread adoption. However, it's not hard to see HoloLens and other augmented reality gear becoming a mainstay in operating theaters. Surgeons could spend more time completing procedures and less time fretting that one slip might endanger a patient.