XR/Interactive Project

◽️ Med EdTech ◽️

A VR Experience for Learning Kidney Structure and Function

Kidney Anatomy | Education | VR | Public Health

Step inside the human body. Explore the kidneys. Discover how they work.

An immersive VR experience that makes kidney anatomy and disease education engaging and interactive.

This study has been published in the book Enhancing Biomedical Education-Integrating Digital Visualization and 3D Technologies.


This project was developed as the final project of my MSc in Medical Visualisation and Human Anatomy. The concept stemmed from the need to address a critical gap in public awareness of chronic kidney disease, which often goes undiagnosed due to a lack of symptoms and general understanding.

My role

-CT dataset processing and anatomical segmentation
-3D modelling of internal kidney structures
-Unity VR development
-Visual and UI/UX design

Project Overview

Kidney Exploration VR is an immersive virtual reality experience designed to introduce the public to the structure and function of the kidneys, while raising awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Using real CT imaging data, this project visualises the kidney’s internal structures in 3D and allows users to explore them in an interactive, spatial environment. By integrating immersive visuals with content on diabetic kidney disease, the experience helps spark curiosity, build understanding, and encourage active engagement with kidney health.

Target Audience

General Public

-3D kidney model based on CT scan data
-Explorable internal anatomy of the kidney from the outer layer (kidney), the inner layer (cross-sectional), to the innermost layer (glomerulus)

Key Features

Chronic kidney disease is preventable and treatable — yet many people don’t know what their kidneys do or how to protect them. This project is my first VR project, I hope by demonstrating how VR and medical visualisation can make health education more interactive, engaging, and impactful.


Full research study can be found here:

Chen, X., Poyade, M., Rea, P.M. (2024). Kidney Exploration: A Virtual Reality Experience for Public Understanding of the Structure and Function of the Kidneys. In: Gröning, F. (eds) Enhancing Biomedical Education. Biomedical Visualization, vol 7. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-73270-6_11