The healthcare industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by telemedicine, real-time diagnostics, smart hospitals and access to digital therapies, and the growing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), augmented reality (AR), robotics and data management practices. In the last three years alone, there have been over 106,000 patents filed and granted in the healthcare industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Cloud in Healthcare: 3D holography for medical imaging.

However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.

Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.

200+ innovations will shape the healthcare industry

According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the healthcare industry using innovation intensity models built on over 443,000 patents, there are 200+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Within the emerging innovation stage, software as a medical device (SaMD), augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) medical imaging interfaces, and automated clinical documentation are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Medical image display devices, 3D modelling and rendering, and AI-assisted electronic health records (EHR) are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are wearable fitness monitors and medical device secure data transmission, which are now well established in the industry. 

Innovation S-curve for cloud in the healthcare industry

3D holography for medical imaging is a key innovation area in cloud

3D projection is a 3D image that exists freely in space and can be seen by everyone without the use of 3D glasses. Holographic pictures can help doctors raise the bar for medical research and teaching. They are used to recreate the image of tissue samples in order to carry out tissue surgery. The development of digital 3D prototypes for neuroscience is another use for this method.

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 20+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established healthcare companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of 3D holography for medical imaging.

Key players in 3D holography for medical imaging – a disruptive innovation in the healthcare industry

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.

Patent volumes related to 3D holography for medical imaging

Company Total patents (2010 - 2021) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Magic Leap Inc 181 Unlock company profile
Smith & Nephew Plc 98 Unlock company profile
Stryker Corp 74 Unlock company profile
Becton Dickinson and Co 44 Unlock company profile
Koninklijke Philips NV 41 Unlock company profile
Seiko Epson Corp 34 Unlock company profile
Sony Group Corp 25 Unlock company profile
Fresenius SE & Co KGaA 20 Unlock company profile
Baxter International Inc 17 Unlock company profile
Alphabet Inc 16 Unlock company profile
Intel Corp 15 Unlock company profile
Surgical Theater LLC 14 Unlock company profile
Medtronic Plc 13 Unlock company profile
International Business Machines Corp 9 Unlock company profile
InteraXon Inc. 9 Unlock company profile
Ricoh Co Ltd 9 Unlock company profile
Cloud DX Inc. 8 Unlock company profile
Weinmann Emergency Medical Technology GmbH + Co KG 8 Unlock company profile
EssilorLuxottica SA 8 Unlock company profile
Qatar Foundation 6 Unlock company profile
Porsche Automobil Holding SE 5 Unlock company profile
Halliburton Co 5 Unlock company profile
InterDigital Inc 5 Unlock company profile
Siemens AG 5 Unlock company profile
Fujifilm Holdings Corp 5 Unlock company profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Magic Leap is the leading patent filer in the 3D holography for medical imaging. Some other leading patent filers include Smith & Nephew, and Stryker.

In terms of application diversity, Smith & Nephew leads, followed by InteraXon and Weinmann Emergency Medical Technology. With regards to geographic reach, Stryker leads, followed by Smith & Nephew, and Becton Dickinson.

One of the most promising instruments for the medical sector is holography. Interactive holographic models enable more dynamic and economical medical testing of data stored on the cloud as well as the storage of enormous volumes of imaging data. Medical holography is anticipated to play a significant role in medical diagnostic imaging in the near future.

To further understand how Cloud is disrupting the healthcare industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Cloud Computing in Healthcare.

GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.