One of Memphis’ largest employers and a Silicon Valley tech firm are teaming up to make a combination of robotics, product innovation, and VR training a reality for orthopedic surgeons — both here in Memphis and all over the world.

Smith & Nephew Inc., an orthopedic medical device company with 2,300 local employees, has rolled out a training program based on Palo Alto, California-based Osso VR’s virtual reality platform.

By combining Smith & Nephew’s NAVIO robotic-assisted surgical system and Osso’s VR, the goal is to create a learning environment for surgeons that is as immersive as a real surgery and can virtually expose them to new devices and techniques.