OEM News

DePuy Synthes Premieres VELYS Hip Navigation With AI

The new software solution is designed to improve consistency and efficiency in total hip arthroplasty.

Author Image

By: Michael Barbella

Managing Editor

VELYS Hip Navigation with AI Assistance. Photo: DePuy Synthes.

DePuy Synthes has launched the VELYS Hip Navigation with AI Assistance in the United States. The product demonstrates reproducible landmark identification and reduces workflow time by 57% compared to manual workflows (5.33 vs. 2.27 minutes).1

This next-generation software solution—powered by the VELYS Hub—includes new artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to advance the care standard in total hip arthroplasty (THA) by automating image interpretation, consistently identifying landmarks, and increasing procedural efficiencies.2†

THA demand continues to rise, with approximately 850,000 U.S. procedures projected annually by 2030, a 129% increase from 2014.3 Despite the overall success of these procedures, increasing volumes and operating room demands are driving the need for technologies that support efficient workflows, consistent intraoperative execution, and real-time decision-making.4

VELYS Hip Navigation with AI Assistance helps address this need by automating image interpretation and landmark identification to deliver real-time, patient-specific insights on leg length, offset, and cup position.2† The AI model is trained on geographically diverse, deidentified clinical datasets5 and operates within a human-in-the-loop design, ensuring surgeons retain full control over final anatomical landmark placement.5 By reducing reliance on manual interpretation and integrating seamlessly into existing surgical workflows, VELYS Hip Navigation with AI Assistance enables quicker access to relevant data, enhancing decision-making and efficiency in the operating room.2,6‡

“The introduction of VELYS Hip Navigation with AI Assistance advances our commitment to delivering data-driven technologies that support surgeon decision-making and procedural consistency,” said Sharrolyn Josse, global president of Joint Reconstruction at DePuy Synthes. “This solution is designed to streamline workflows and reduce complexity by providing real-time, patient-specific insights. It is not simply an update to VELYS Hip Navigation; it is the next generation of the platform, built to keep control in the surgeon’s hands.”

VELYS Hip Navigation with AI Assistance is available on the VELYS Hub, an advanced hardware optimized to unlock the full potential of AI-driven clinical care.7-11 The system features a 32-inch 4K high-resolution monitor9, 12-13 with a 79% larger viewing area than legacy hardware,7-11-14** an integrated image-capture card for C-arm connectivity,9-11, 13, 15 and GPU-optimized architecture16 to enable real-time intraoperative insights.7-11,16

“In total hip arthroplasty, achieving consistent implant positioning and restoring patient specific biomechanics are critical to long-term success,” said Christopher N. Johnson of Ortho Northeast.* “Technologies such as VELYS Hip Navigation with AI Assistance have the potential to help reduce variability, improve intraoperative efficiency and workflow, and support surgeon decision-making and control in the operating room.”

DePuy Synthes’ orthopedics portfolio helps heal and restore movement to millions of patients. Its solutions—including joint reconstruction, trauma, extremities, craniomaxillofacial, spinal surgery, and sports medicine—alongside the VELYS Digital Surgery portfolio, are designed to support improved patient care and deliver clinical and economic value to healthcare systems worldwide. Building on a legacy of product innovation and industry firsts, the company shapes the orthopedic landscape through advancements in medical technologies and digital surgery across the continuum of care.

Johnson & Johnson is striving to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through its expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, the company delivers cardiovascular, orthopedics, surgery, and vision solutions.

†Pre-clinical test data/results may not necessarily be indicative of human clinical performance (or outcomes)
‡ Pre-clinical test data/results may not necessarily be indicative of human clinical performance (or outcomes) & compared to manual workflow
** When compared to the legacy VHN 24-inch monitor
* Christopher N. Johnson serves as a consultant for DePuy Synthes but was not compensated for this announcement

References
1 Hudson A, Marshall B, Leestma S, Diaz R. THA Software System Comparing Outputs from AI to Human Operators. Poster presented at: ORS 2026 Annual Meeting; 2026; Charlotte, NC USA.
2 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. Software Design Validation Report VELYS Hip Navigation AI. August 2025
3 Singh JA, Yu S, Chen L, Cleveland JD. Rates of Total Joint Replacement in the United States: Future Projections to 2020-2040 Using the National Inpatient Sample. J Rheumatol. 2019;46(9):1134-1140. doi:10.3899/jrheum.170990
4 Andriollo L, Picchi A, Iademarco G, Fidanza A, Perticarini L, Rossi SMP, Logroscino G, Benazzo F. The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Advancing Total Hip Arthroplasty. J Pers Med. 2025 Jan 9;15(1):21. doi: 10.3390/jpm15010021. PMID: 39852213; PMCID: PMC11767033.
5 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. VELYS Hip Navigation AI User Guide. 2025
6 Goodell P, Ellis S, Kokobun B, Wilson H, Kollmorgen RC.Computer navigation vs. conventional overlay methods in direct anterior total hip arthroplasty: A single surgeon experience. Cureus. October 2022. doi:10.7759/cureus.29907
7 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. Vector Requirements and Traceability Matrix. October 2025. Windchill # 502129480 Rev C.
8 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. VELYS Computer Drawing. October 2025. Windchill # 502198827 Rev B.
9 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. VELYS Computer Drawing Review. October 2025. Windchill # 502331420 Rev A.
10 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. VELYS Hub Design Validation Report End to End Systems Integration. October 2025. Windchill # 502336337 Rev A.
11 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. VELYS Hub Claims Memo. November 2025. Windchill #502489090 Rev A.
12 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. VELYS Touchscreen 32. October 2025. Windchill # #811111347 Rev C
13 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. VELYS Cybermed All in One PC. October 2025. Windchill #103852740 Rev A.
14 Koy T. Screen Size Calculator – Calculator Hub. Calculator Hub. Published March 5, 2024. Accessed October 31, 2025. https://calculatorhub.app/screen-size-calculator/
15 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. VELYS Hub Design Verification Report for C-Arm Connectivity. October 2025. Windchill #502306443 Rev B.
16 Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates. VHN Al on VELYS Hub Claim Support Memo. Hardware Minimum Specification Verification. November 2025.

Keep Up With Our Content. Subscribe To Orthopedic Design & Technology Newsletters