Osso VR partnered with Smith & Nephew to develop a VR training tool that will be showcased at this year's American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons' (AAOS) conference, taking place in Las Vegas from March 12-16. Orthopedic robotic systems continue to draw high interest from surgeons. The recent US FDA clearance of Zimmer Biomet's ROSA total knee replacement system will add competition to the current market dominated by Stryker's MAKO and Smith & Nephew's NAVIO.

Digital health technologies from smartphone applications, wearables, digital weight scales and telehealth are rapidly changing the landscape of cardiac care, offering new tools for engaging cardiology patients and enhancing cardiologists' workflows. There is a lot of hype, but also some real promise. Here's a look at what's happening and some expert insights on the benefits and challenges these new innovations represent, as well as market projections. Digital health was a major topic of discussion by cardiologists and entrepreneurs during this year's Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference in San Diego. This is the second in a series of articles on the future of cardiovascular technology, spotlighting discussion and presentations from TCT.

Whether used for training surgeons outside of the operating room or as a valuable reference tool during surgery, the recent AAOS annual conference shows that orthopedic surgeons rank among several pioneering clinician groups who are embracing surgical solutions that extend into the worlds of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. With the global shift toward value-based health care, Proponents say these new technologies may offer surgeons new ways to improve operating times and efficiency, better patient outcomes and cut overall costs.