Michael Freeman (CEO, Ocutrx Technologies Inc.)

Can you explain your job as if you were speaking to a five-year-old? 

Imagine you have a toy that lets you see the world in a special way—like a pair of glasses that makes everything clearer and more colorful. My job is to create special tools, like glasses or headsets, that help people see better, like people with eye defects when their eyes aren't working the way they used to. These tools aren't like regular glasses. They use Augmented Reality (AR) and Extended Reality (XR) with smart technology and AI to help people see things they can't see anymore, just like magic glasses. We want people to feel free and happy again, so they can enjoy their lives without worrying about their sight. That’s one aspect. The other is using scientific optical building blocks to create new 3D and immersive experiences for surgeons, commercial, enterprise, and entertainment applications. 

What excites you most about your job?

The most exciting part of my job is seeing how something we've built truly changes a person’s life. Take the OcuLenz AR/XR headset for people with low vision. It was made to help people with macular degeneration, a condition that erases their central vision or other low vision causes. When people try the OcuLenz, they can suddenly see things they haven’t been able to for years, like reading a book or recognizing faces. Lots of tears of joy in the clinical trial rooms. And, it’s not just about improving sight but giving back someone's independence, confidence, connectivity, and quality of life. It feels amazing to be part of that change. On the other hand, when surgeons realize we are providing them with surgical tools which are very ergonomic, and which will help prevent them from having to retire early or having to get neck or back surgeries themselves, they are amazed and buy in quickly.  

Which trend will change the future of medicine? 

The integration of all kinds of 3D visualization. One application is through AR and XR headsets and glasses for both patient care and surgery. With AR/XR, we can overlay information directly into a person’s view, which makes diagnosis and treatment more accurate. For patients, like those with advanced macular degeneration, AR headsets like OcuLenz help them regain independence and see the world better. For surgeons, AR and XR can project vital information during surgeries, improving precision and reducing mistakes. And, for surgeons, when they can see holographic 3D without having to wear 3D glasses, they are amazed. 

What is actually 3D visualization in a hospital now? Not much, if anything. Some microscopes use low-resolution 3D monitors where you have to wear burdensome 3D glasses. However, real “glasses-free” enhanced 3D digital visualization is really the future of healthcare. It is about merging the physical world with digital information and cellular or internet connectivity in real-time, and holographic 3D and AR/XR will lead that transformation. 

Looking back, which trends have you missed or underestimated? 

One of the things I didn't expect was how quickly AR and XR would be embraced in fields outside of traditional healthcare. Of course, I knew how impactful AR could be for vision loss and surgery, but I underestimated the breadth of industries it would touch so rapidly. Military, gaming, enterprise, industrial, and entertainment sectors are adopting 3D and AR/XR technology for everything from situational awareness to training simulations. It’s fascinating how holographic 3D visualization and AR/XR isn’t just about healthcare anymore. It’s becoming a powerful tool for many industries that require enhanced vision and real-time data processing. 

Which MedTech initiative or startup deserves more attention? 

The typical answer these days would be that AI-driven surgical assistance tools deserve more attention as a key initiative in medtech. However, real-time (less than 30 millisecond) holographic 3D capture and display will come from nowhere and become a sensation and standard overnight. That is my prediction. At Ocutrx, we’re already developing holographic 3D visualization systems for surgery, industry and entertainment and we are integrating AI to highlight things like cancerous cells and enhance visualization, but the potential for holographic 3D video in surgery is massive. With holographic 3D video techniques combined with AI we can now detect abnormalities, suggest better treatment options in real-time, and even assist in automating certain procedures. We’re only scratching the surface of both holographic 3D and AI’s capabilities, and investing in its potential within medtech will transform how surgeries are performed, dramatically improving patient outcomes. It’s a space that needs more focus because it has the power to make surgeries easier, safer, and more accurate, ultimately saving lives. 

Where would you put a million dollars? 

Lots of investors have a million dollars, so, I’d recommend investing in improving our existing 3D holographic developments for medical applications and beyond. Ocutrx is pioneering Hyper-Spectral presentation of holographic information. Meaning we are merging the visible light spectrum with other non-visable light spectrums to present a combined 3D video image to a viewer. Our hyperspectral imaging provides a plurality of images, in real-time, in the same video frame. This also permits us to provide a surgeon with Super-Resolution, so the image can be resolved down to 3 micrometers and below and then provide over 200 times magnification. All the other microscope manufacturers offer about 20 times magnification, so we are providing a great new visual tool for surgeons. As we know cells in the body range from 1-3 microns, so we are providing visualization to the cellular level in a standard operating setting. We can also make parts of organs or even surgical tools invisible, when they are in a surgeon’s way. All in holographic 3D. Why is that better than stereoscopic 3D? Because now surgeons can “see around a corner” to understand where a tumor, for instance, is attached, making it easier to remove. With our Hyper-Spectrual techniques we can also map the surface of tissue or an organ and provide a robotic surgery tool with an exact pathway to the tissue of interest.  

With further investment, our 3D holographic video feeds with AI could help predict health issues before they become critical, automate surgery in new ways, and enhance the overall effectiveness of medical treatments. A million dollars could fund research into the next generation of AI that could revolutionize healthcare, not just for doctors, but for patients as well. This could unlock entirely new possibilities for personalized medicine and improve patient care on a massive scale. 

What's the best advice you've ever received? 

To focus on solving real problems, problems the experts or surgeons are complaining about, not just building cool technology. When Mitch—my brother—and I started Ocutrx, our goal was to find a solution for our father, who was diagnosed with macular degeneration. That problem was personal, and our desire to help him kept us focused. It taught me that technology should never be about impressing people with flashy gadgets or features. It should always be about improving lives and improving surgery outcomes. The best products are the ones that make a meaningful difference in people's everyday experiences, and that’s always been our driving force at Ocutrx.