SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veyond Metaverse, a developer of immersive medical telepresence technology, today announced that it has been named a winner in the AR, VR, XR, and Metaverse category of Fast Company’s 2026 Next Big Things in Tech list. OceanMD™ lets physicians work side by side with local medical teams thousands of miles away, without leaving their own clinic or office. Through extended reality (XR), physicians can see what the team sees, demonstrate techniques and guide procedures in real time, bringing expert support to patient care and hands-on training on ships, at offshore sites, and in remote clinics and training centers.
Illustration: A remote physician, shown as an avatar, guides a surgeon wearing an XR headset through Veyond Connect, the platform behind OceanMD. Illustration courtesy of Veyond Metaverse
About 2.57 million seafarers serve on more than 85,000 merchant ships, according to the 2026 Seafarer Workforce Report from BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping. Most of those ships rely on doctors on shore, reached mainly by voice. When a crew member is badly hurt far from shore, care may fall to a shipmate with medical training and a physician helping from a distance. Offshore medics face a similar challenge: caring for a patient while communicating with a specialist who cannot be there in person.
OceanMD gives them a shared view and a way to demonstrate what to do. The medic wears an XR headset. The remote physician sees what the medic sees, live, and works inside that view: marking up the scene, demonstrating a technique with an interactive 3D equipment model, and appearing beside the medic as an avatar. The medic’s hands stay free. The physician stops being a voice on the line and becomes a shoulder-to-shoulder presence on board.
OceanMD runs on commercially available headsets, and clinical decisions stay with the medical team. In its latest live sessions, OceanMD carried real-time video, voice and visual guidance over a low Earth orbit satellite connection. It has also been tested over 4G and 5G networks. Veyond Metaverse is now working with a leading global medical assistance provider to prepare OceanMD for pilot deployments.
“Distance should not decide who gets expert medical care,” said Prof. Dr. Thierry Flam, Chief Medical Officer of Veyond Metaverse. “I have guided a surgical team on another continent through our platform, and being able to see the scene makes all the difference. A video call gives a flat picture on a screen. In XR, I can appear beside the medic, check what is really happening and show exactly what to do, with real depth and scale. OceanMD brings that kind of expert support to a medic on a ship, on an offshore platform or in a remote clinic. It can make specialist care available wherever people work, not only where the specialists are.”
“The most exciting technology innovations are the ones that move beyond promise to demonstrate real potential for impact,” said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “The companies and teams recognized on this year’s list are tackling ambitious problems with new ideas, products, and approaches that have the potential to fundamentally shape the years ahead.”
The recognition adds to a record in healthcare and aviation. Veyond Connect™ 5D XR, the platform behind OceanMD, won Silver at the 2026 Edison Awards and Gold in Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring at the 2025 Digital Health Awards. FlyMD™, the company’s in-flight platform, was one of three finalists in IFEC & Digital Services at the 2026 Crystal Cabin Awards, alongside entries from Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. Prof. Flam has also remotely guided live surgeries in Yangon, Myanmar, through Veyond Connect: from Paris in 2023, approximately 8,800 kilometers away, and from New York in 2024, approximately 13,600 kilometers away.
Ship operators, offshore operators and medical assistance providers can request a demonstration at www.veyondmetaverse.com. The complete 2026 list is available at fastcompany.com/next-big-things-in-tech/list.
About Veyond Metaverse
Veyond Metaverse is a San Francisco-based 5D XR technology company building real-time medical telepresence for situations where the expert and the person who needs help are in different places. Its Veyond Connect™ platform powers OceanMD™ for ships and remote sites and FlyMD™ for aircraft. The company holds U.S. Patent No. 12,400,408, with further applications pending.
About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com.
Media Contact
Adam Choe, co-founder and CEO
Veyond Metaverse
adam@veyondmetaverse.com
+1 (510) 331-0649
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