About InnerOptic

We're a spin-off from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with the mission to commercialize groundbreaking technology in medical visualization and 3D navigation.

With a vision of “Simpler, Safer Interventions using 3D Technology,” InnerOptic is improving image-guided procedures with its patented 3D navigation software. InnerOptic's FDA-cleared Aim™ software is a “GPS” for needle-based interventions, providing an intuitive 3D stereoscopic interface that improves a physician's ability to accurately perform complex needle procedures using intraoperative ultrasound.

InnerOptic develops real-time navigation systems for use in minimally invasive procedures, leveraging our expertise in:

3D navigation
Augmented Reality
Image-guided medical interventions
Medical visualization
Real-time tracking and spatial coordination
Design for ease of use
Human perception, factors, and computer interaction

InnerOptic licenses its software to device and imaging companies, customizing and integrating the software into their products.

InnerOptic owns 15+ issued patents in the field of medical device navigation.

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Team of Collaborators

Brian Heaney

Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Heaney is a successful entrepreneur with over 20 years experience in building teams, products and companies. Prior to joining InnerOptic, he was VP of Engineering for Bytemobile. Mr. Heaney lead the development of an advanced interactive TV platform as VPE at Liberate Technologies. He spent 5 years at Apple Computer as Director of Macintosh CPU Software. Mr. Heaney began his career at GE developing advanced visualization systems. He holds an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Duke University and a B.S. in Engineering and a B.A. in Economics from Swarthmore College.

Luv Kohli, PhD

Chief Technology Officer

Dr. Kohli has 15 years of experience researching virtual reality, haptic interaction, virtual locomotion, and 3D user interfaces. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer Science from The George Washington University and received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His dissertation, titled “Redirected Touching”, explored haptics and perception in virtual environments. Dr. Kohli also has numerous publications in the field of virtual environments. He has experience working in the game industry, with two credited game titles.

Kurtis Keller, MS-ISME

Co-Founder, CFO, Design Engineer

Mr. Keller has extensive mechanical design experience at multiple positions. He previously founded two other technology-based companies, . Additionally, he has over 15 years of experience at UNC as a researcher in mechanical and optical design. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering from N.C. State University.

Caroline Green, MS-ISME

AIM Software Lead and Regulatory Manager

Ms. Green has extensive experience as a published researcher and NSF grant manager at UNC's Computer Science Department. At InnerOptic, Ms. Green has secured and managed multiple NIH SBIR grants, managed the successful AIM clinical trial at the Carolinas Medical Center, co-authored multiple research publications, is a co-inventor on multiple patent applications, managed the successful FDA clearance for AIM and leads the AIM software development.

Andrei State, Dipl-Ing aer., MSCS

Co-Founder, 3D Expert

Mr. State has co-invented the novel visualization method at the core of InnerOptic's technology. He has been a technical lead and principal designer for the augmented reality (AR) medical visualization project at UNC, led by Prof. Henry Fuchs and funded by DARPA, NSF and NCI. Mr. State has numerous ground-breaking publications in the field of AR, virtual reality and head mounted displays. He holds a Dipl.-Ing. aer. from the University of Stuttgart and an MSCS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.