Healthcare Robotics

The race was on – safely – for more than 50,000 spectators Saturday at the 147th Kentucky Derby in part thanks to Pittsburgh-based AERAS. The company used its patented charged-electrostatic drone technology to sanitize Churchill Downs against COVID-19. This in part helped allow fans to return to the oldest sporting event in the United States.…

Multiply Labs, a San Francisco-based company developing automated manufacturing systems to produce individualized drugs at scale, raised $20 million in a Series A funding. The round was led by Casdin Capital. The oversubscribed round brings Multiply Labs’ total funding raised to date to more than $25 million. It leverages automation to address the fundamental limitations…

Memic Innovative Surgery closed a $96 million Series D financing round. The Tel Aviv, Israel-based company develops Hominis, the first FDA-approved robotically-assisted surgical device for performing transvaginal hysterectomy. The FDA approved the Hominis system last month. Hominis is designed to remove the uterus using minimally invasive surgical instruments inserted through the vagina, as well as…

Robotics researchers are developing exoskeletons and prosthetic legs capable of making control decisions on their own using sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The system combines computer vision and deep learning to mimic how able-bodied people walk by seeing their surroundings and adjusting their movements. “We’re giving robotic exoskeletons vision so they can control themselves,” said…

Exoskeleton users can now go from sitting to standing safely and without assistance based on the work of University of Michigan researchers, who developed an approach to create and test solutions to such problems virtually.

Forsight Robotics, an Israel-based developer of a robotic surgical platform for ophthalmic procedures, has raised $10 million. The seed round was led by Eclipse Ventures and joined by Mithril Capital. The funding is earmarked to be used for expanding ForSight’s headcount and global reach as it sets its sights on launching its robotic surgery platform…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized marketing for Memic Innovative Surgery’s Hominis system for transvaginal hysterectomy. According to the FDA, Hominis is the first FDA-approved robotically-assisted surgical device for performing transvaginal hysterectomy, with indication for performing benign hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy. Using minimally invasive surgical instruments inserted through the vagina and a video camera…

TransEnterix changed its name to Asensus Surgical and introduced a new category of surgery to its offerings. Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based Asensus Surgical said the name change represents its broader vision of shaping the future of surgery by integrating computer vision and machine learning with surgical robotics. Sensus is Latin for “cognition,” highlighting the connection…

Brainlab has received FDA clearance for both its Loop-X Mobile Imaging Robot and Cirq robotic surgical system. Following on CE mark approvals last summer, the FDA clearance paves the way for the company to now enter the U.S. market with the Cirq robotic alignment module for spine procedures and the Loop-X robotic intraoperative imaging device.…

A lack of testing has been one of the biggest challenges to combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Testing facilities often have a shortage of personnel to analyze samples and provide results. Throughout 2020, Americans were turned away from testing centers. Rapid testing is becoming vital to mitigating the spread of the novel coronavirus. Austin, Texas-based Wilder…

EndoWays, an Israeli developer of a disposable robotic system for the cathlab, has been acquired by Ascendum Capital, a healthcare-focused investment platform founded in 2020. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. EndoWays, founded in 2018, developed a fully disposable robotic system to support navigation and operation within blood vessels in neurovascular, peripheral and…

Edge Medical Robotics has closed a $92.6 million Series B round of funding. The Shenzhen, China-based startup will use the funding to accelerate the development and commercialization of its robots for minimally invasive surgery. The company’s website is quite vague, but it reportedly has three products, including single- and the multi-port robots for laparoscopic surgery…

Wingcopter, a German developer of commercial drones founded in 2017, raised $22 million in Series A funding. Wingcopter will use the funding to scale its presence in the drone delivery space, with a special focus on healthcare-related applications. The Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift drone can cover distances up to 120 kilometers (74.5 miles) and offers…

TransEnterix received CE Mark approval for its Intelligent Surgical Unit for the Senhance system. The Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISU) enables machine vision capabilities on the Senhance surgical system, providing digital laparoscopic programs in Europe to be augmented by intelligence capabilities in surgical settings. The FDA cleared the ISU in March 2020. Research Triangle Park, N.C.-basd…

A new device that is 6 millimeters in diameter and 16 millimeters in length is capable of focusing and steering a fiber-delivered laser beam at high speeds.

As one of the busiest parts of a hospital, the pharmacy has, over the years, relied on technology to streamline its operations. From electronic tablet counters to completely computerized stocking and labeling solutions, technology has had a transformative impact on pharmacies across the world. Challenge Still, factors weighing on the efficiency of drug dispensing are…

maxon Group and Fourier Intelligence today announced they are entering into a global strategic partnership. Fourier Intelligence, a Shanghai-based  startup founded in 2015, will use maxon’s precision drive systems for the development of its rehabilitation robotics systems. Fourier already uses maxon’s BLDC motors in its ExoMotus X2 exoskeleton, a powered lower-limb exoskeleton. maxon will now be…

Ultra-violet disinfection keeps people healthy and it’s an exciting application for robotics, but the process could cause a health risk as UV light is dangerous to humans. In this RoboBusiness Direct talk, DreamVu technical expert Mark Davidson will explain how omnidirectional 3D vision systems can be used to not only identify the presence of people,…

Ava Robotics, the iRobot spinout known for its telepresence robots, is expanding its product portfolio with the introduction of an ultraviolet (UV) disinfection robot for corporate offices, warehouses, and other work spaces. The new robot is an evolution of a research project Ava Robotics conducted with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Greater Boston…

Stryker said OrthoSensor’s Verasense intraoperative sensor technology will further boost Mako surgical robots, enhancing workflow through one complete data-driven feedback mechanism.

ReWalk Robotics, a developer of exoskeletons for people with lower-limb disabilities, is seeking to sell nearly 5.6 million ordinary shares, plus more, worth about $6.2 million. Marlborough, Mass.-based ReWalk is also offering more than 4.5 million ordinary shares which are issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants, according to a news release. ReWalk is also…

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has dominated 2020, affecting daily lives and every industry around the world. Early in the year, it aggravated a manufacturing slowdown that was the result of both expected economic cycles and trade tensions between China and the U.S. At the same time, COVID-19 has accelerated demand for robotics in supply chain and…