Doctors at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago are slipping on Apple Vision Pro headsets in the endoscopy suite, testing whether mixed-reality goggles paired with artificial intelligence can help catch more colon cancer. In this clinical usability trial, the headset displays real-time AI cues inside a physician’s field of view during colonoscopies so they do not have to glance away at separate monitors. Hospital leaders say the experiment could help shape future regulatory filings and, if the tech proves practical, broader use in hospitals.
According to Rush University Medical Center, the Division of Digestive Diseases is using an application built by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals that streams the output of Medtronic’s GI Genius module into the Vision Pro display during routine colonoscopy procedures. “We are thrilled to be the first in the world to bring this technology into the endoscopy suite,” said Dr. Irving Waxman, chief of Rush’s Division of Digestive Diseases. Cosmo’s announcement notes that the usability study is intended to serve as a key part of a planned submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
How the headset fits into the endoscopy suite
The Vision Pro spatial-computing display can overlay digital markers and AI prompts directly on top of what the clinician is seeing in the room, a setup that aims to cut down on constantly checking wall-mounted monitors, as reported by AppleInsider. The GI Genius module processes the live colonoscope video feed in real time and highlights areas that look suspicious so the endoscopist can zoom in for a closer look, according to Medtronic.
Why doctors think it could help
Rush University Medical Center reports that GI Genius has been associated with up to a 14.4% increase in adenoma detection rates in clinical studies. The hospital notes that even a 1% rise in detection is linked to a measurable drop in a patient’s risk of developing cancer between screening exams. That potential bump in detection is the main reason Rush is testing whether hands-free, in-headset AI cues can make colonoscopies more effective without bogging down the workflow.
Where the trial stands
According to an investor update from Cosmo, first-patient enrollment began in December 2025, which means the study is already under way. FOX 32 Chicago cameras captured physicians at Rush using the headsets in late January and reported that, depending on how the trial goes, the project could eventually expand to hospitals across the country.
Regulatory road map
Cosmo has said that the usability results from Rush will feed into its planned FDA submission. If regulators clear it, the application is expected to become the first FDA-cleared medical software of its kind to run on Apple Vision Pro. At the same time, experts stress that AI tools like this have to be tested across different clinical environments and checked for safety and workflow snags before they become routine, as WIRED has reported.
For now, the headset project at Rush is an early-stage usability study, not a formal change in how patients are treated. The findings, whether they show a clear advantage or reveal new limits, will ultimately decide whether Vision Pro-assisted colonoscopies stay a niche research effort or make the jump into everyday patient care.
