Galaxy is a surgical robot that allows for more accurate and less invasive lung cancer biopsies. It was the platform that I worked during my time at Noah Medical.
Galaxy relied on electromagnetic (EM) signal to navigate users to the biopsy location. However, if there was a problem with EM signal, users received no actionable guidance to resolve the issue.
Provide clear, actionable guidance for resolving EM signal issues at the right time, without unnecessary disruptions to the user’s workflow.
The new EM signal indicator was very well received by users, who found the banner and tailored instructions much more actionable and helpful for their workflows. It reduced confusion, minimized delays, and improved user efficiency.
User research revealed that the existing “Signal Lost” message was ineffective—users often overlooked it or were confused about what steps to take. Meanwhile, the system collected valuable data that could help diagnose signal issues, but it wasn’t being leveraged for user assistance.
This was fundamentally a communication issue.
This was a cross-functional issue, so I brought in resources from the navigation and clinical engineering teams to help me understand what we knew and what we could use to best inform the users.
We categorized the EM signal received into different buckets that eventually informed the system if the signal was considered healthy or unhealthy.
We also knew that failure in certain components created EM signal loss. Some of these component failures were tracked already.
Some workflow steps involved moving around equipment that often negatively affected EM. In most cases, this didn’t end up impacting the user.
It was clear to me that we could often infer the culprit for the EM loss, and therefore, we could point the user towards a guided resolution.
With that, I started brainstorming UI elements to deliver the information. It needed to be noticeable, minimally disruptive to their workflow, and good for novice and experienced users.
I landed on a persistent EM signal indicator and a clickable banner.
The persistent EM signal indicator allows users to monitor signal strength at all times and take proactive action before a loss occurs.
The clickable banner provided real-time actionable guidance when an issue arises. Users see a brief, clear message but can expand it in the notification center for step-by-step resolution instructions.
To ensure accurate and scalable messaging, I worked with the clinical engineering team to build a decision flowchart, mapping system inputs to appropriate messages. We collaborated with software engineers to ensure the logic was modular and adaptable, allowing for future system updates.
By designing intuitive, context-aware UI elements, this system enabled users to quickly diagnose and resolve EM issues - reducing confusion, minimizing delays, and improving overall workflow efficiency in critical surgical procedures.
