Press Release
Golden A' Design Award in Medical Devices and Medical Equipment Design Goes to Vivos Ophthalmic Surgery System by Olcayto Guelec and David Geuder
Olcayto Guelec and David Geuder recognized for medical devices and medical equipment design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 22, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ Vivos Ophthalmic Surgery System by Olcayto Guelec and David Geuder, designed for Geuder AG, has been granted the Golden A' Design Award in the Medical Devices and Medical Equipment Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Golden A' Design Award
The Gold A' Design Award is granted to designs that demonstrate a high level of innovation and a significant impact on their intended audience. Recognized as a major achievement by the A' Design Awards, these designs are characterized by their visionary approach and the exceptional skill of their creators. Winners of the Gold A' Design Award are noted for their ability to push the envelope in art, science, design, and technology, delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations. These designs serve as benchmarks for excellence, encouraging further innovation and inspiring future generations of designers.
More 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.
Award Record
Olcayto Guelec and David Geuder is a winner of 1 A' Design Award, including this recognition.
About the A' Medical Devices and Medical Equipment Design Award
The A' Medical Product Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good medical product designs by best brands and manufacturers worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to medical product designers, medical equipment manufacturers, biomedical engineers and medical device brands from all countries. Typical entries include stethoscopes, wheelchairs, defibrillators, MRI machines, surgical instruments and prosthetics. The awarded medical product designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/medical-product
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/182492
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/182492
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!182492
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/380731
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Vivos Ophthalmic Surgery System
- Function
- Ophthalmic Surgery System
- Category
- Medical Devices and Medical Equipment Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Health
- Colors
- White Smoke, Black, Light Gray, Dark Slate Gray and Dark Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Geuder AG
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Olcayto Guelec and David Geuder
- Country
- Germany
- Recognition
- Golden A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #182492
Credits
- Team
- Collaboration between Geuder AG's Engineering, Quality Management, Regulatory Affairs, Product Management, Service, Application, Development, and Sales departments.
- Image Credits
- Photography Geuder AG, 2026
Design Details
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Realization and 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
- Operation and Interaction
- 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.
- Project Duration and Location
- 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.
- Specifications
- 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.
- Keywords
- Ophthalmic Surgery System, Medical Device Design, Phacoemulsification, Vitrectomy, Modular Medical Platform, Surgical Ergonomics, Workflow Design, German Medical Engineering, Usability Validation, Premium Medical Aesthetics
