Medical

May 29, 2019       Emilia Marius The idea of robots in improving healthcare is not new – as early as 1985 there was a plan to transform industrial robots into precision machines for surgery and beyond. The appearance and improvement of the DaVinci robot in the early 2000s and this iconic grape surgery video prove how far technological development has come. But no matter how impressive, robotics in healthcare is still a system controlled by humans. The real magic of the 21st-century robo-doctor will come from artificial intelligence systems that can learn so much that it will outperform the best doctors by combining all the available knowledge in all medical repositories. However, most experts agree that AI will not replace trained medical staff, just make them more efficient in several are...

[embedded content] Robotic surgery and its da Vinci system have almost become synonymous terms. Even with multiple surgical robotic systems available, the Intuitive Surgical machine remains the workhorse and most widely used robotic device. Interestingly, new designs that allow for single-port access could lead to the creation of a bread-and-butter system that could be used for multiple procedures across specialties – dare we say standard? For almost 20 years, Intuitive has progressively improved the da Vinci device through five models – the Standard, S, Si, Xi, and the recent hybrid X models. All of these have followed the usual pattern of multi-port access to the abdominal and thoracic cavities, allowing surgeons to triangulate on the tissue of interest. Intuitive Surgical Da Vinci SP Bu...

Nicholson Center expands to train growing number of global medical professionals in surgical innovations. Image: Nicholson Center CELEBRATION, Fla. – The AdventHealth Nicholson Center, one of the world’s leading surgical robot training centers, recently announced the addition of 10 new lab stations. The Nicholson center now has 60 lab stations that are equipped with 25 external cameras and are all teleconference ready. J. Scott Magnuson, AdventHealth Nicholson Center. “We have invested in new facilities and equipment that allow us to offer more training opportunities in the newest surgical techniques and technologies. We cannot remain static as the medical world around us continues to advance and change,” said J. Scott Magnuson, MD, chief medical officer at AdventHealth Nicholson Center. “...

When Michel Fornasier dons his sparkling blue cape, he ceases to be a normal human with everyday problems and limitations. He transforms into his alter ego, Bionicman, has unlimited powers, is able to fly, and even to turn back time. Yes, it’s really him, Bionicman! “The costume creates this special kind of magic,” Fornasier said. “When I’m standing in front of school kids, they actually believe that they’re looking at the real Bionicman. That’s just an amazing feeling.” Michel Fornasier has been wearing a bionic hand prosthesis for slightly over four years. The man from Switzerland has set himself the goal of introducing children to the topic of “people with physical disabilities.” He uses his alter ego Bionicman to do so. However, Fornasier isn’t wearing his superhero costume just to mak...

Robotics Business Review is proud to announce the RBR50 2019, our annual list of the top 50 robotics companies as determined by our judging team, which this year included assistance from top research firm IDC. Now in its 8th year, the RBR50 is the premier listing of the most innovative and commercially successful robotics companies around the world. Every year, the list continually evolves to reflect changes in the industry, giving readers a great starting point for finding out the companies leading the charge in commercial and industrial robotics. To download your FREE copy of the RBR50 2019 report to find out who made the list, fill out the information below. Robotics Business Review

Source: Sarcos Robotics Global exoskeleton revenues will reach $5.8 billion by 2028, driven by the deployment and adoption of passive exoskeletons that help augment capabilities of human workers, research firm ABI Research said today. The London-based market-foresight advisory firm said hundreds of thousands of active exoskeletons would also be deployed over the next 10 years, with the greatest opportunity in the space in augmenting industrial production workers. The firm said the potential for growth is attracting the likes of companies and groups such as NASA, Boeing, Toyota, GM, and others in the logistics space. Rian Whitton, ABI Research “We are only talking about thousands of units being deployed so far, and the majority of these are passive,” said Rian Whitton, senior analyst at ABI...

The Ekso Bionics ExoVest gives support to a worker’s shoulders and arms. Source: Ekso Bionics Companies developing exoskeletons for either military or medical purposes have been around for more than a decade, but they’ve also found new applications in the industrial market as costs have come down and technology advanced. One of the leaders in this space is Ekso Bionics, which develops exoskeletons for both medical and industrial applications, through its EksoGT and EksoVest offerings, respectively. The company also develops the EksoZeroG, exoskeleton technology that helps ease the physical burden on construction and demolition workers. Jack Peurach, Ekso Bionics Last year, the company announced partnering with Ford on providing EksoVest equipment to assembly line workers to help elev...

Source: Tru-D HAMILTON, N.J. — Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton recently added a new member to its staff. Here’s the catch, the new worker isn’t a human. The hospital has invested in Tru-D, “Total Room ultraviolet disinfection,” a UVC disinfection robot that helps keep patients and staff safe from harmful germs. The robot delivers one automated, measured dose of UVC light to consistently disinfect an entire room during one cycle. It operates from one placement within the room, ensuring significant pathogen reduction in direct and shadowed areas. “We are excited to bring in this innovative and scientifically-validated technology to improve the experience for our patients and staff,” said Richard Freeman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Robert Wood Johnson University...

Source: Osso VR Osso VR recently demonstrated its virtual reality training module for Smith & Nephew’s NAVIO Surgical System, giving surgeons the ability for immersive coaching for a robotics-assisted device. The combination of handheld robotics and VR are emerging technologies in medicine, the company said, leading to rapidly advancing changes in areas like surgery, to provide repeatable and efficient, high quality outcomes. The company demonstrated its system at the recent American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2019 Annual Meeting. Source: Smith & Nephew “NAVIO is a natural fit for virtual training and assessment as it involves robotics-assisted surgical steps coupled with a novel software interface, and Osso VR has demonstrated success instilling confidence in the techn...

After a really slow period of transactions in recent weeks, some investments in the robotics world have picked up of late, at least in regards to hardware companies. While artificial intelligence-based companies continue to shine, we saw several healthcare-related robotics companies making some headlines in recent weeks. This week we’re highlighting 15 recent transactions covering the robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence space. If you’ve missed some transactions over the past few months, you can track them through the RBR Transactions Database. This regularly updated database lets you sort deals by company, industry, technology, or transaction type. Surgical and health robots shine We’ll start this week’s roundup in the surgical robot space, where a couple of large transaction...

CEO Ben Wolff talks with RBR about the company’s evolution and growth opportunities for exoskeletons. Source: Sarcos Robotics Over the past 20 to 30 years, the exoskeleton market has seen a variety of changes, from the prosthetics space to military applications that support soldiers in logistics or those who have been injured. These days, many companies are moving into manufacturing and industrial applications, utilizing robotics to help workers get their jobs done more effectively and safely. One company on the forefront of the space is Sarcos Robotics, which creates a number of exoskeleton and robot platforms for … Please create an account to continue reading Thank you for enjoying Robotics Business Review. You’ve reached your monthly article limit. To continue reading, pleas...