Teen develops tool from video gaming that could transform spinal surgery

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — A teenager from Denver has developed a tool that could revolutionize spinal surgery. It is so good, it won the top prize in one of the world's most prestigious science competitions.

If you thought playing video games didn't pay off, you haven't met Krithik Ramesh.

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The game "Just Dance" and his attempt to conquer one particular song became the inspiration behind a science project that could change the way spinal surgery is performed. His attempt at improving his score meant diving into the game's motion tracking technology.

"Different points of your body, so like, your elbows, your arms, your legs that ultimately determines your score," Ramesh told KCNC. "So I was wondering if something as dynamic as that could be applied to something as static as radiology."

Today surgeons use live-time X-rays to help navigate the spine. The radiation can be harmful to the body, and screw placement isn't always accurate.

Using motion tracking, similar to the video game, Ramesh developed a safer and more accurate system for surgeons.

"It can predict the spine bio mechanics for a given patient and then optimize the surgical approach and then guide the surgeon using an augmented reality head sight," said Ramesh.

He beat out more than 1,500 competitors from around the world at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Ramesh won the top prize of $75,000, which he said will go right back into his education.

"I look at, like the price tag for tuition, and I realize I probably should put it aside for college," said Ramesh.

Ramesh's idea will need lots of testing on actual patients in order to prove it works better than the system used today.

Ramesh has one more year of high school left and hopes to compete in the fair again next year.

CNN/KCNC