Gold Medical Devices and Medical Equipment Design · 2026
Vivos Ophthalmic Surgery System
by Olcayto Guelec and David Geuder
- A' Design Award 2026 Gold Winner in Medical Devices and Medical Equipment Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Geuder AG
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 52,049
- Verification code 7DEB548122 · Verify this award
About Vivos Ophthalmic Surgery System
Vivos redefines the surgical workstation as a platform that evolves alongside clinical ambition. Three configurations, Core, Nova, and Nova+, extend capability without system replacement, the only upgrade architecture of its kind in ophthalmic surgery. A single interface, validated at 91.7 percent first use satisfaction without prior training, reflects a design built around the surgeon rather than the procedure. Illuminated instrument connections, refined materials and restrained detailing give the device a calm and confident presence, free from the visual noise typical of the category.
The Vivos Ophthalmic Surgery System by Geuder Vivos Team emerges from the distinguished tradition of German precision engineering applied to medical instrumentation, representing a synthesis of rigorous functional requirements with sophisticated aesthetic sensibilities that characterize the most accomplished contemporary medical device design. This apparatus demonstrates how the specialized demands of ophthalmic surgical practice, requiring absolute reliability, intuitive operation under critical conditions, and seamless integration into sterile environments, can be addressed through design thinking that elevates functional necessity into formal elegance. The compositional organization reveals careful consideration of the surgeon's operational workflow, with the elevated display positioned at optimal viewing angles while the control interface occupies the zone of natural hand positioning, suggesting deep engagement with ergonomic research and user-centered design methodology. The chromatic restraint, limiting the palette to clinical whites with strategic blue accents, participates in established visual vocabularies of medical professionalism while the azure elements serve dual functions as aesthetic punctuation and functional wayfinding through the interface landscape. Material selections appear to prioritize surfaces amenable to rigorous sterilization protocols while maintaining visual warmth sufficient to humanize the clinical encounter, the translucent storage panel introducing an element of visual accessibility that suggests transparency in both literal and metaphorical registers. The overall form factor, rising from stable wheeled base to commanding display crown, creates a visual narrative of grounded reliability supporting elevated technological capability. One might observe how the design successfully negotiates the tension between technological intimidation and approachable professionalism, offering practitioners an instrument that communicates competence while patients encounter an object whose refined aesthetics may contribute to clinical confidence. What considerations of human wellbeing, both practitioner and patient, inform the countless decisions that shape such an instrument into its final form?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Vivos is the only ophthalmic surgery system that grows with clinical needs. Core for cataract. Nova adds vitrectomy. Plus adds laser. One platform. One interface. One training investment. Independent usability validation confirmed 92 percent user satisfaction among first time users. Illuminated connection sockets were rated positively by all study participants. Premium materials and restrained detailing give the device a likeable presence without the visual noise typical of the category.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Display: 24 inch capacitive touchscreen. Vitrectomy: up to 40000 cuts per min. Vacuum: up to 700 mmHg, highest in category. Phacoemulsification: 53 kHz piezoelectric. IOP: active real-time (VIVOS Balance). Endolaser: 532 nm. Illumination: SOLEA LED, 16.9M colours, 2 ports, Retina Protection Mode. CE pending, submitted Feb 2026. ISO 13485 2016.
- Tags
- Ophthalmic Surgery System, Medical Device Design, Phacoemulsification, Vitrectomy, Modular Medical Platform, Surgical Ergonomics, Workflow Design, German Medical Engineering, Usability Validation, Premium Medical Aesthetics
- Production Technology
- Medical-grade polycarbonate housing, antimicrobial surface coating rated for over 10,000 disinfection cycles. Piezoelectric phacoemulsification at 53 kHz with beveled-up probe geometry for optimised fluidics. Pneumatic vitrectomy probe up to 40,000 cuts/min. IEC 60601-1 compliant. Modular quick-change cassette - single or multi-patient - tool-free exchange. Compatible with older phaco handpieces, protecting prior investment. Individually assembled in Heidelberg. ISO 13485:2016, IEC 62366-1, IEC 60601-1, CE pending
- Design Challenge
- The central challenge was integrating six surgical functions, historically distributed across two to three separate devices, into a single platform without increasing cognitive load. Internally, decades of segmented product architecture and a 75-year heritage required rethinking established engineering logic. Externally, MDR regulations, IEC 62366 1 usability standards and strict OR hygiene constraints limited design freedom. Maintaining identical UX across Core, Nova and Plus while ensuring durability for thousands of cleaning cycles demanded systemic redesign rather than incremental improvement.
- Project Duration
- The project was developed in Heidelberg, Germany by Geuder AG. Development spanned multiple months with iterative design and engineering phases conducted in close collaboration with ophthalmic surgeons and operating room nursing staff. Summative usability validation was performed at RWTH Aachen University in early 2026. CE Mark application was submitted on 27 February 2026. Public market launch is scheduled for June 2026.
- Operation Flow
- Before each procedure, the surgeon selects a personal profile, preloading preferred settings and pedal sensitivity. A three-column touchscreen maps each surgical step as a visual sequence. Colour-coded modules allow instant identification in a darkened theatre. Illuminated sockets guide instrument connection by touch. The foot pedal, with individually adjustable actuation force, controls fluid flow and laser hands-free. Eye pressure is monitored and adjusted in real time.
- Research
- Usability research was conducted. Objective: reduce cognitive load without limiting clinical capability. Methodology: iterative co-design workshops with surgeons, Geuder teams and engineering, followed by independent summative validation per IEC 62366-1. Data collection included usability testing and task-based evaluations. Participants: 13 first-time users at RWTH Aachen University, 2026. Results: 91.7% satisfaction, no unacceptable residual risks. Insights validated the workflow UI, surgeon profiles and illuminated sockets, contributing to greater efficiency, improved patient safety and long-term system adoption in clinical practice.
- Inspiration
- Ophthalmic surgery is precise. Why should its devices remain fragmented, complex and visually uninspiring. Anterior and posterior procedures require separate investments, training and ecosystems not because clinical need requires it but because no manufacturer redesigned the architecture around the surgeon. Geuder AG with seventy five years of ophthalmic expertise asked what if one platform could grow without hardware replacement. Validated by independent study and unique in its modular upgrade logic.
- Image Credits
- Photography Geuder AG, 2026
- Patents
- Design copyright: Geuder AG, 2026. Patent application pending. All rights reserved.