Vorso
Neuroscience-driven wearable for chronic condition therapy.
Developed in collaboration with Nēsos, this breakthrough wearable delivers targeted neurostimulation through a discreet, earbud-based system that treats chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. By stimulating the vagus nerve via gentle electrical pulses, Nēsos offers a non-invasive, drug-free alternative to managing inflammation and pain. RKS partnered with the Nēsos team to design a universally fitting, consumer-friendly form that preserves medical efficacy while ensuring daily comfort, accessibility, and scalability, bridging the gap between advanced science and human experience.
Transforming medical treatment through human-centered design.
To ensure Vorso resonated both functionally and emotionally, RKS began with in-depth user research and Psycho-Aesthetics® analysis. The team studied the emotional barriers patients face with medical wearables—discomfort, self-consciousness, and distrust of complex technology—and mapped these insights to aesthetic and ergonomic opportunities. By reframing Vorso through the lens of empathy and daily usability, RKS identified the core emotional driver of the experience: restoring a sense of normalcy and control. These findings guided the design language, resulting in a form that feels familiar, balanced, and discreet while maintaining clinical precision.
Psycho-Aesthetics® & Research
KEY OUTPUTS
User personas and behavioral insights
Emotional journey maps
Comfort and perception studies
Design criteria for trust, ease, and familiarity
How We Used Psycho-Aesthetics™ to Identify Unique Opportunities in the Project.
Using our proprietary Psycho-Aesthetics® 2.0 framework, RKS conducted in-depth interviews and observational research to understand how patients perceive and interact with medical wearables. We identified key emotional and usability barriers—such as anxiety around electrical stimulation, discomfort from prolonged wear, and hesitation toward clinical-looking devices. These insights informed the physical form and tactile experience of Vorso, guiding our team toward a design that conveys safety, familiarity, and confidence while maintaining medical precision.
To help Nēsos bring its groundbreaking neurostimulation therapy to life, RKS designed Vorso—a wearable medical device that delivers targeted vagus nerve stimulation through a comfortable, earbud-style form. The design team focused on ergonomics, scalability, and universal fit, developing a form that adapts seamlessly to 95% of users without the need for custom fittings. Each iteration balanced medical precision with consumer sensibility, ensuring the device felt effortless, approachable, and clinically effective.
Industrial Design
KEY OUTPUTS
Ergonomic and anthropometric studies
Universal fit geometry for 95th percentile users
3D CAD and high-fidelity mockups
Form exploration and design refinement
RKS conducted extensive fit testing to validate comfort, usability, and electrode performance. Multiple prototype rounds were tested across a diverse user base to confirm optimal contact points, stability, and long-term wearability. Insights from these evaluations informed key refinements in material softness, ear geometry, and assembly methods, ensuring the device performed consistently in both comfort and efficacy.
Testing & Validation
KEY OUTPUTS
Physical fit validation prototypes
Comfort and usability test reports
Electrode placement and contact optimization
Iterative material and geometry refinement
Collaborating closely with Nēsos engineers, RKS translated functional and electronic requirements into a manufacturable, integrated design. Careful consideration of housing tolerances, electrode interfaces, and assembly processes enabled precision alignment of medical-grade components within a compact form. The result was a refined, production-ready design that balances mechanical integrity with everyday usability.
Engineering & Refinement
KEY OUTPUTS
Integrated CAD assemblies and DFMA refinement
Component tolerance and sealing analysis
Electrode and sensor housing integration
Prototype engineering documentation
To complement the sophistication of Vorso’s design, RKS developed packaging and Instructions for Use (IFU) that communicated clarity, trust, and ease of use. The experience was designed to guide patients intuitively—from unboxing to daily operation—while maintaining compliance with medical device labeling standards.
Packaging Design / IFU
KEY OUTPUTS
Packaging concept and graphic system
Instruction for Use (IFU) design and layout
User flow and unboxing sequence
Labeling and regulatory design compliance
Through our partnership with Nēsos, RKS transformed complex neuromodulation technology into Vorso—a comfortable, elegant, and scalable wearable medical device. The final design embodies the intersection of science and empathy, offering patients a non-invasive, drug-free alternative for managing chronic conditions through precision-engineered simplicity.
Final Design
KEY OUTPUTS
Final production-ready design
Scalable manufacturing strategy
Clinical-grade usability validation
High-fidelity product visualizations
