Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN) said today that it acquired Switzerland-based Atracsys Sarl and its optical tracking camera technology.
The deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019, adds a “core enabling technology” to Smith & Nephew’s digital surgery and robotic platform, according to the medtech company.
Smith & Nephew’s next-gen robotics platform is slated to hit the market in 2020. Atracsys’ fustionTrack 5000 camera is designed to reduce procedure times and increase accuracy in precision surgical tasks, like bone cuts.
Atracsys’ portfolio of optical navigation and robotic tracking components serves the orthopedics, neurosurgery, spine and dental markets, according to Smith & Nephew.
“The promise of computer assisted surgery with robotics is to provide faster, more accurate, reproducible results that enable surgeons to restore quality of life to more patients,” Skip Kiil, Smith & Nephew’s global president of orthopedics, said in prepared remarks. “With the acquisition of Atracsys, we are securing what we believe to be the best-in-class position tracking technology for our next-generation robotic-assisted surgical system.”
“Our aim is to continuously contribute to the improvements in healthcare all around the world, guiding surgical instruments with sub-millimetric precision,” Gaëtan Marti, co-founder & CEO of Atracsys, said.
“Smith & Nephew’s commitment to offer significant advancements in enabling technology across multiple surgical specialities will open breakthrough opportunities for robotics and computer-assisted surgery,” Maurice Hälg, co-founder & CTO, added.