Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon business unit will sell CMR’s surgical robotics system to select hospitals in Italy, France, Germany and Brazil.

Lawsuit alleges J&J executives misrepresented their intentions when it acquired Auris Health for $3.4 billion in 2019.

OrthoSpin’s robot-assisted external fixation system for orthopedic treatments is a platform used in DePuy Synthes’ Maxframe.

Medtronic’s rollout of their Hugo robotics assisted surgical robot will be delayed due to supply-chain issues.

J&J said the system is being delayed due to technical development challenges and COVID-19-related disruptions, including supply chain constraints.

After delays, Johnson & Johnson has announced its Ottava robot-assisted surgical platform, which it claimed will be more flexible than other systems currently on the market.

The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing, or ARM, Institute has selected eight new projects focusing on high-value ways to empower U.S. manufacturers using robotics and automation.

In its quarterly earnings report, Johnson & Johnson said it would not pursue immediate regulatory approval for the general surgical robot that it is developing.

Intuitive Surgical had challenged J&J’s Ethicon subsidiary on the combination of a shiftable drive system with a robotic surgery platform.

Johnson & Johnson, which has acquired surgical robotics companies, will describe its plans in greater detail at an upcoming event.

Verb Surgical, which started as a collaboration between Johnson & Johnson and Alphabet’s Verily unit for cheaper, smaller, and smarter surgical robots, will be wholly owned by J&J.

Orthopedic device companies have been actively developing products for surgical robotics, several through acquisitions.

Stryker’s success with its Mako robot-assisted surgery platform has other orthopedic device companies hastening to enter the space. The big question is whether long-term outcomes will justify the expensive technology.

Despite a few high-profile failures, robotics investments kept going strong in April 2019, with funding flowing to companies working on self-driving cars, supply chain automation, and robots in healthcare.

Robotics investments totaled at least $4.3 billion in February 2019 in a steep increase from January, which had about $1.4 billion. In addition, companies reported approximately $3.9 billion worth of acquisitions this past month. Any political or economic jitters have not yet harmed the mood for robot deals. The Robotic Industries Association noted yesterday that robot…