Barco And Brainlab Set New Standards For Content Distribution In Operating Rooms

Enterprise visualization expert Barco and German-based medical technology innovator Brainlab AG announce their collaboration to provide an innovative approach to distributing and sharing medical content. In recently increasingly complex operating rooms, Buzz - Digital O.R. by Brainlab together with Nexxis, an IP-centric solution for image and audio management by Barco, will provide seamless integration with improved workflow efficiency for better patient care.

Renowned for innovative solutions in neurological and orthopedic surgery as well as radiation therapy, Brainlab launched Buzz - Digital O.R. n 2012. Buzz is a highly advanced centralized information and control hub for the OR, which enables fast and easy access to medical image data from HIS, PACS and data enrichment with clinical indication-specific applications. Buzz also provides connectivity with a multitude of video signals and allows surgeons and the surgical team to intuitively route, stream and record audio, image and video content. Under the agreement, Brainlab and Barco will combine Buzz - Digital O.R. with Barco’s IP-centric Nexxis solution for controlled image distribution. The result is an exceptionally powerful set-up to meet the demanding needs of content distribution in ORs.

Flexible, scalable and open
Barco’s Nexxis imaging and audio management solution - comprising encoders, decoders and management software - builds on a flexible, scalable IP platform which allows smooth distribution of medical imaging with near-zero latency. “The Nexxis IP-approach is (a) unique (one) in our industry," explains Rainer Birkenbach, Executive Vice President of Brainlab. "It has an open architecture and flexibility that creates endless deployment possibilities. Nexxis will provide Brainlab users with uncompressed real-time video, audio and advanced image routing capabilities in the OR. Because it seamlessly integrates with Buzz - Digital O.R. by Brainlab, doctors and patients benefit from enhanced data and information (guidance) that is easily viewed, shared and used for collaboration."

Technology pioneer
“Brainlab is known as one of the most technologically advanced players in the market and we’re excited to be pooling our expertise. We are confident that our new partnership and the joint configurations it delivers will help us strengthen the Nexxis brand and further increase our market share,” comments Luc Colle, VP Sales for Barco’s EMEA Healthcare Division. “Our joint hard- and software technologies will provide hospitals with an exceptionally advanced solution to improve their workflow efficiency and, consequently, provide better patient care.”

System integrators
While Brainlab focuses on transforming data to clinically relevant information and usability, the systems integrators are able to offer complex and highly customized systems and set-ups. They will be the ones to integrate Barco’s Nexxis solution for image and audio management and distribution into Brainlab’s Buzz.

The Nexxis and Buzz - Digital O.R. solutions will be on display respectively at the Barco booth (hall 15, booth E18) and the Brainlab booth (hall 10, booth B53) at Medica in Düsseldorf (Germany) from 20 till 23 November 2013.

About Brainlab
Brainlab develops, manufactures and markets software-driven medical technology with the aim of optimizing patient treatments. Core products revolve around less-invasive image guided surgery technology, more accurate and effective radiation therapy, and integration through planning and collaboration systems that brings patient data and physicians together. For more information, visit www.brainlab.com.

About Barco
Barco, a global technology company, designs and develops visualization products for a variety of selected professional markets. Barco has its own facilities for Sales & Marketing, Customer Support, R&D and Manufacturing in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Barco (NYSE Euronext Brussels: BAR) is active in more than 90 countries with about 3,900 employees worldwide. Barco posted sales of 1.156 billion euros in 2012.