Co-designing VR Prosthesis Training: From Concept to Commercial Product

Why It Matters

This approach ensures that the final product addresses real user needs and practical challenges, moving beyond purely research-oriented prototypes. It highlights the importance of iterative development and stakeholder engagement in bridging the gap between novel technology and market adoption.

Key Finding

A user-centered co-design process, incorporating feedback from a wide range of users and experts, is essential for developing effective and marketable virtual reality training tools for myoelectric prostheses, addressing practical challenges like setup and ergonomics while improving user motivation.

Key Findings

• Continuous user-centered co-design significantly enhances the usability and clinical relevance of VR rehabilitation tools.
• Early functional training in VR can increase patient motivation and confidence.
• Key challenges in VR prosthesis training include setup complexity and sensor ergonomics.
• Successful translation requires addressing regulatory approval and commercialization pathways.

Research Evidence

Aim: How can a user-centered co-design process facilitate the clinical implementation and commercial translation of an immersive virtual reality intervention for myoelectric prosthesis training?

Method: User-centered co-design and iterative development

Procedure: The development of Myo-Hand XP involved iterative stages: problem-idea validation through stakeholder interviews, creation and testing of a Proof of Concept (PoC) prototype, development and user testing of an advanced Research Prototype, and subsequent clinical pilots. Continuous feedback from 60 multinational stakeholders and 20 end-users informed refinements.

Sample Size: 60+ stakeholders (design/development), 20 participants (clinical pilots)

Context: Rehabilitation technology, prosthetic training, virtual reality applications

Design Principle

Embrace iterative co-design with continuous stakeholder feedback to bridge the gap between novel technology and real-world application.

How to Apply

When developing new assistive technologies, establish a structured feedback mechanism involving end-users, clinicians, and technical experts at each design stage, from initial concept to final product.

Limitations

The study focuses on a specific type of prosthesis and VR system; generalizability to all prosthetic training or VR applications may vary. Long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness require further investigation.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: To make a new VR game for training people with prosthetic arms, it's best to involve the people who will use it and the doctors who help them right from the start, making changes as you go, to ensure it's easy to use, motivating, and actually helps them learn.

Why This Matters: This research shows that simply creating a new technology isn't enough; you need to actively involve users and consider the entire journey from idea to a product people can actually buy and use effectively.

Critical Thinking: To what extent can the success of Myo-Hand XP be attributed to the co-design process versus the inherent novelty of VR technology in prosthesis training?

IA-Ready Paragraph: The development of Myo-Hand XP highlights the critical role of user-centered co-design in translating innovative virtual reality interventions into clinically viable and commercially successful products. By involving a diverse range of stakeholders throughout an iterative design process, including problem validation, prototype testing, and clinical pilots, the project successfully addressed user needs and practical challenges, leading to increased patient motivation and confidence in myoelectric prosthesis training.

Project Tips

• Clearly define your target user group and their specific needs early on.
• Plan for multiple feedback sessions throughout your design process, not just at the end.
• Document how user feedback directly influenced design decisions.

How to Use in IA

• Use this research to justify the importance of user testing and iterative design in your own design project.
• Reference the co-design methodology to explain your approach to user engagement.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the iterative design process and how user feedback shaped your final design.
• Explain the rationale behind your chosen user engagement methods.

Independent Variable: ["User-centered co-design process","Iterative development stages"]

Dependent Variable: ["Clinical implementation success","Commercial translation","User motivation and confidence","Product usability"]

Controlled Variables: ["Type of prosthesis (myoelectric)","VR intervention context","Target user population (upper limb loss)"]

Strengths

• Involved a large and diverse group of stakeholders.
• Followed a rigorous iterative development and testing process.
• Achieved commercialization and regulatory approval.

Critical Questions

• How might the commercial pressures have influenced design decisions during the co-design process?
• What are the ethical considerations when translating therapeutic VR interventions to the market?

Extended Essay Application

• Investigate the effectiveness of co-design methodologies in the development of other assistive technologies.
• Explore the challenges and opportunities in commercializing research-based health interventions.

Source

Myo-Hand XP: User-Centered Co-Design, Clinical Implementation, and Commercial Translation of an Immersive Virtual Reality Intervention for Myoelectric Prosthesis Training · IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering · 2026 · 10.1109/TNSRE.2026.3665053