MEET OUR CODE_N CONTEST FINALISTS 2018: Z Imaging from the USA

09/20/2018  |  CODE_n18 Startup CONTEST, Digital Transformation, new.New Festival

“A single millimeter can be the difference between success and failure.” Developing augmented reality tools for high-precision tasks such as manufacturing and surgery is CODE_n CONTEST Finalist Z Imaging. In our interview, CTO and co-founder Raahil Sha explains how AR can add real value to our lives.

Jessica: What is Z Imaging all about?

Raahil: Z Imaging develops augmented reality (AR) tools for manufacturing, surgery, and other high-precision tasks.

Jessica: How did you come up with the idea?

Raahil: We were shadowing a surgeon in Boston and recognized the burden on physicians when they’re operating and trying to view medical scans, so we spotted the potential AR has to make image-guidance more intuitive. However, we also understood that AR would need to be extremely precise to be of any use in such a setting. Since then we’ve been building an AR platform for high-precision tasks, focusing specifically on healthcare and manufacturing. These are the areas we believe AR can revolutionize the way surgeons and technicians perform complex tasks.

Jessica: What are you trying to solve?

Raahil: Our goal is to improve the accuracy of AR software and unlock its true potential in areas requiring ultimate precision, such as surgery and complex manufacturing.

Jessica:  It is time for augmented (or mixed) reality to add real value to our lives, way beyond all the consumer and entertainment applications. What are the challenges you’re facing when it comes to introducing AR technology in the operating room?

Raahil: Until now, AR has mostly been used by consumers and developers in gaming and entertainment. For these applications, the accuracy and functionality of the existing AR software were sufficient. But in areas where ultimate precision is basically a must, such as surgery or manufacturing, a single millimeter can be the difference between success and failure. This is why AR has faced a whole host of challenges in the past in trying to disrupt ultra-precise solutions. When we were developing our AR platform, we had to strike the right balance between accuracy, responsiveness, cost, and ease of use.

Jessica: Thank you for the interview, Raahil!

Meet Z Imaging at the new.New Festival 2018this fall, in Stuttgart!