Professor Mark Driscoll and Dr. Ahmed Aoude, Assistant Professors in Mechanical Engineering and Orthopedic Surgery at McGill University respectively, are combining their experiences and knowledge to develop new technology for the operating rooms. This cutting-edge technology will combine computer assisted surgery, patient specific modeling, and augmented reality all together.
Dr. Aoude first obtained degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering from McGill University. He then worked as a Project Manager designing and developing computer assisted surgery equipment and techniques for orthopedic surgery. This experience led him to pursue his MD at University of Montreal before completing fellowships in Orthopedic Oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and Spine Surgery at Foot Hills Medical Center in Calgary.
Prof. Driscoll also worked in industry, where he successfully developed and designed medical devices, before joining McGill. His achievements were recognized through awards such as the “Best New Technology for Spine Care” in 2014 and the “ANSYS Hall of Fame” in 2015 for his use of an engineering simulation platform simulating spinal surgeries, effectively helping to analyse the designs of medical devices.
Both Dr. Aoude and Prof. Driscoll have multiple patents and peer reviewed publications to their names in their respective fields. Dr. Aoude’s research interests in clinical outcomes, surgical techniques, and development and design of medical devices complement Prof. Driscoll’s interests in the development of virtual reality surgical simulators used to train orthopedic surgeons.