// Case study · Osso VR + Embodied Labs · 2022–2024

VR Surgical & Clinical Training

Turning high-stakes clinical procedures into immersive training that’s measurable, for surgeons at Osso VR and healthcare professionals at Embodied Labs.

Role

Director of Design, Osso VR · Product Designer, Embodied Labs

Platform

VR headset and web analytics

Research

Onsite with surgeons and clinicians

Result

+20–40% learner performance

Osso VR post-run analytics comparing a trainee’s time to peer median and goal time for each surgical step

// The challenge

Immersive is easy to say. Measurable is harder.

Osso VR teaches procedural skill through immersive VR simulation, with performance measured against peer benchmarks and time-to-completion goals for each surgical step.

The job was to translate complex clinical procedures into modules that are both immersive and measurable, then design the analytics surgeons and clinical educators use to track mastery.

// Osso VR · 2022–2023

Data-dense reporting and in-headset interaction.

Post-run analytics

A trainee’s time against peer median and goal time, section by section, so mastery is visible at a glance.

In-headset UI

Settings panels for language, height, audio narration and traversal, plus the Surgical Table Controller surgeons use mid-procedure.

Onsite testing

Sessions with surgeons and clinical educators found the friction in critical workflows.

Reusable VR system

Design systems and interaction patterns reused across new procedures.

Post-run performance analytics · peer median, goal time and section-by-section mastery

In-headset settings panels in light and dark themes, showing Audio Narration, Snap Turning and Teleportation toggles — In-headset settings panels · light and dark themes for audio, traversal, height and language

// Accessible color

A brand palette that passes in the headset.

Every brand color was tested for WCAG contrast against white, dark and accent backgrounds, then given a compliant alternative and clear rules for when it can carry text and when it’s accent-only.

WCAG brand color study · current colors, compliant alternates and text pairings

// The in-headset UI library

Controls built for the middle of a procedure.

One panel system for everything a trainee touches inside the operating room: big, high-contrast targets, a navy header bar for orientation and a single violet for “on.” The same components built every new procedure faster.

Surgical Table Controls: introduction prompt, minimized trigger states and the raise, lower and rotate panel — Surgical Table Controller · intro prompt, trigger states, raise / lower / rotate

C-arm controls panel with image flip and rotate buttons, magnification, AP and LAT presets and an on/off toggle — C-arm controls · image, magnification and presets

Diagnostic knee arthroscopy checklist pairing a knee illustration with Scope and Probe checklists — Diagnostic knee arthroscopy checklist · scope and probe steps mapped to the anatomy

Captions panel from the mega panel controller library — Captions panel · from the Mega Panel controller library

Sterile and non-sterile tooltips inside the virtual operating room — In-room tooltips · sterile and non-sterile variants, restyled to match the new UI

// Embodied Labs · 2023–2024

Training that builds empathy for the people in care.

At Embodied Labs I designed UX and UI for immersive XR/VR healthcare training modules, and led usability testing with healthcare professionals.

I built interaction patterns and UI components that made modules faster to design and easier to hand off to development.

[Add Embodied Labs module screens or headset captures]

Embodied Labs training module · placeholder

[Add a usability-testing or component-library image]

Embodied Labs patterns · placeholder

// Outcomes

Better learners, faster production.

20–40%

Learner performance and accuracy · Osso VR

25–35%

Usability gains from surgeon testing

25–40%

Less production time · Osso VR

20–30%

Learner engagement · Embodied Labs

15–25%

Task completion · Embodied Labs

30%

Less design-to-dev friction · Embodied Labs

Across both teams, the work ranged from data-dense post-run reporting to real-time interaction design inside the headset.

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