Surgical robotics remains a hot area in medtech — even as it faces headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic. Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG) pioneered robotic surgery through the early 2000s and remains the dominant player, but major companies including Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) have big plans to enter the space and compete. Meanwhile, Stryker (NYSE:SYK) has built a […]
robot-assisted
BREAKING: TransEnterix announces name change, new category of surgery
TransEnterix (NYSE:TRXC) announced today that it will change its name to Asensus Surgical and introduce a new category of surgery to its offerings. Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based Asensus Surgical said in a news release that its name change represents its broader vision of shaping the future of surgery by integrating computer vision and machine learning with […]
Could artificial intelligence boost surgical robotics to new heights?
Ken Goldberg thinks artificial intelligence will enable surgical robots to achieve their best function — not replacing surgeons but augmenting their work by reducing the monotony of specific subtasks like suturing. The William S. Floyd Jr. Distinguished Chair in Engineering at UC Berkeley, Goldberg and his research team have continued to advance the field. The group — which includes postdoctoral […]
TransEnterix brings in $79.6M from stock offering
TransEnterix (NYSE:TRXC) recently announced that it has closed on a public offering of more than 26.5 million shares of its common stock, with roughly $79.6 million in aggregate gross proceeds for the surgical robotics company. The offering, in combination with recent financing activity, extends TransEnterix’s cash runway into 2024. The money will go toward general corporate […]
DePuy Synthes lands FDA clearance for Velys robotic knee system
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) unit DePuy Synthes announced that it received FDA 510(k) clearance for the Velys system. Velys is a robotic-assisted system designed for use with the Attune total knee system and its cleared indications for use and it will become part of the broader Velys digital surgery platform of connected technologies, according to a news […]
Stryker acquires OrthoSensor and its knee surgery sensor tech
Stryker (NYSE:SYK) announced today that it has bought privately-held OrthoSensor and its Verasense intraoperative sensor tech that could further enhance the ortho giant’s Mako robots. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Stryker officials in a news release noted that Verasense since 2011 has proved itself to be a unique knee balancing solution in […]
The top 5 MassDevice stories of the week — November 20, 2020
The past week saw major news in the robotic surgery space, with Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) unveiling its new Ottava platform. Want to hear more about the week’s top medtech news on MassDevice? Executive editor Chris Newmarker and Tom Salemi will discuss the week’s “Newmarker’s Newsmakers” during our DeviceTalks Weekly podcast. Without further ado, here’s this […]
FDA clears Think Surgical’s second-gen robotic knee surgery system
Think Surgical announced today that FDA has granted 510(k) clearance for the second generation of its TSolution One total knee application. The TSolution One is an active robot for total knee replacement; it includes fully automated bone preparation and provides surgeons a choice of implant options. The newly-cleared version of the system features includes an […]
BREAKING: Johnson & Johnson finally unveils its new robot-assisted surgery system
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) today shared details on its surgical robotic platform that it says offers unrivaled flexibility and control compared to the rest of the market. The new system is designed with six arms to provide more control and flexibility in surgery, while its arms will be integrated into the operating table. Additionally, the platform […]
Smith+Nephew is taking the road less traveled with its ortho surgical robotics
British medtech giant Smith+Nephew chose a different path in the ortho surgical robotics space. One of its top robotics program leaders explains how it could make all the difference. Faster, smaller and more accessible — those are the three descriptors that Sara Schneider uses to describe Smith+Nephew’s Cori robotic knee surgery system, which launched over […]
The top 5 MassDevice stories of the week — September 25, 2020
The past week in medtech saw Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) make an interesting move in the Afib space — and much more. Want to hear more about the week’s top news? Executive editor Chris Newmarker and Tom Salemi will discuss the week’s “Newmarker’s Newsmakers” during our DeviceTalks Weekly podcast. Without further ado, here’s this week’s MassDevice Top […]