SurgRob
Expert coverage of surgical and medical robotics research and industry developments
Video Wednesday
On April 22, 2026 the blog posted a short video showcasing the da Vinci SP surgical robot. The clip demonstrates the platform’s single‑port design, 3‑D high‑definition imaging, and articulated instruments that operate through a single incision. The da Vinci SP, already FDA‑cleared for urology, thoracic and gynecologic procedures, aims to streamline minimally invasive surgery and shorten patient recovery. The post highlights growing hospital interest in single‑port robotics to boost precision and efficiency.
NVIDIA Isaac GR00T Foundation Model for Surgical Robotics
NVIDIA unveiled the Isaac GR00T foundation model at GTC 2026, targeting adaptive, autonomous robotics in surgical and industrial settings. The model leverages large‑scale synthetic simulations and multimodal inputs—vision, motion, and force—to train robots on complex physical tasks. Early adopters such...
Surgical Robotics Beyond NVIDIA GTC
NVIDIA unveiled Open‑H, the largest open surgical‑robotics dataset with over 26,500 task demonstrations and nearly 5 million video‑motion frame pairs collected from nine robot platforms across more than ten institutions. Coupled with the Cosmos‑H world model, the company can generate photorealistic,...
Article Intro - White Paper on Surgical Robot Certification
TÜV SÜD has released a detailed white paper on global market entry for surgical robotics, highlighting how the EU Medical Device Regulation now governs these systems and how the forthcoming AI Act will add another compliance layer. The paper outlines...
Video Wednesday
Flickstop’s blog showcases two image‑only posts from 2020 and 2021 that highlight the company’s work in medical robotics—one depicting a robotic surgery and another illustrating an autonomous pandemic‑response robot. The latest entry, titled “Video Wednesday” on April 15, 2026, contains no text...
CIS News
The latest CIS roundup highlights a wave of innovations linking imaging, robotics, and artificial intelligence in the operating room. GE HealthCare has integrated intra‑operative ultrasound into Medtronic’s Stealth AXiS surgical robot, while a systematic review finds Japan’s Hinotori system effective for...
SurgΣ: Large-Scale Multimodal Data and Foundation Models for Surgery
SurgΣ is a joint effort by NUS, CUHK, SJTU and NVIDIA to build a massive, high‑quality surgical video repository and a suite of foundation models for surgical intelligence. The first release, SurgΣ‑DB, holds roughly 5.98 million multimodal conversations spanning 18 distinct...
Flickstop
Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci SP single‑port robotic system has been launched in Hungary through local partner Sofmedica. The SP platform enables surgeons to perform complex procedures through a single incision, expanding minimally invasive options. Sofmedica’s portfolio now includes the SP...
Video Wednesday
The April 1, 2026 "Video Wednesday" post serves as a launchpad for a weekly video series that highlights cutting‑edge medical robotics and pandemic‑response technologies. It references earlier "Flickstop" entries that showcased robotic surgery and COVID‑19 disinfection robots, providing visual context for readers....
Number of the Day - 500 Cases
South Korea’s Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (KIRAMS) Cancer Center celebrated performing its 500th surgery using the domestically produced Revo‑i surgical robot. This marks the first time a single general hospital in Korea has reached the 500‑case milestone...
Article Intro - Generalized Recognition of Basic Surgical Actions
Researchers released a new dataset of over 11,000 video clips covering ten basic surgical actions across six specialties, the largest of its kind. Using this dataset they trained a foundation model that reliably recognizes these actions, even when applied to...
Flickstop
Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, showcased AI‑driven robots at Nvidia’s GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in March 2026. The demonstration, called “Flickstop,” highlighted the integration of Nvidia H100 GPUs into Foxconn’s production lines to enable real‑time vision and decision‑making....
Video Wednesday
On November 20, 2020 Johnson & Johnson’s Verb division unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed robotic platform designed for minimally invasive surgery. The system combines modular hardware with AI‑driven control to perform simultaneous tasks, promising greater precision and efficiency. Early trials indicate up to...
Number of the Day - 1500 Miles
Professor Prokar Dasgupta, a leading robotic urological surgeon, performed the UK’s first long‑distance robotic prostate removal from London on a 62‑year‑old patient in Gibraltar, 1,500 miles away. The operation was conducted via a remote robotic platform that gave the surgeon...
CIS News
The surgical robotics sector is witnessing a wave of activity, with multiple manufacturers announcing product launches, acquisitions, and market expansions across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Kawasaki Heavy Industries plans a European rollout of its next‑generation surgical robot, while...
Video Wednesday
On November 20, 2020, Verb and Johnson & Johnson unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed robotic platform designed for minimally invasive procedures. The system combines advanced haptic feedback with AI‑driven motion planning to enhance surgeon precision. Early trials suggest OTTADA can reduce operative time...
Article Intro - SurgRAW: Multi-Agent Workflow for Robotic Surgical Video Analysis
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters introduces SurgRAW, a multi‑agent, chain‑of‑thought workflow designed for zero‑shot reasoning on robotic surgical video. The system builds on SurgCoTBench, a new benchmark with 14,256 question‑answer pairs and frame‑level annotations across five core surgical tasks. By...
Friday Fun
Manufacturers are increasingly rolling out their own RAMIS (Rapid Automated Manufacturing Integration Systems) platforms, intensifying competition in the industrial automation sector. The surge reflects a broader shift toward modular, AI‑enabled production lines that promise higher efficiency and lower downtime. Vendors...
Flickstop
NVIDIA has introduced the SimReady Medical Assets library, a collection of high‑fidelity virtual models designed to train surgical robots across a range of procedures. The assets simulate realistic tissue behavior, instrument interaction, and operating‑room environments, allowing AI algorithms to practice...
Video Wednesday
On November 20, 2020, Verb and Johnson & Johnson unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed robotic platform designed for minimally invasive surgery. The system integrates AI‑driven vision, haptic feedback, and modular tooling to automate complex suturing and tissue manipulation. Early trials report a 30%...
CIS News
The latest CIS roundup highlights a wave of surgical robotics announcements, including Medtronic’s Hugo platform positioned as an alternative for surgeons and FDA clearance for its Stealth AXiS navigation system. Stryker introduced the Mako Handheld Robotics system alongside the launch...
Article Intro - Console-Free Control for the Da Vinci
Researchers at Politecnico di Milano have demonstrated a console‑free mixed‑reality teleoperation system for the da Vinci Research Kit, leveraging Microsoft HoloLens 2 to control the robot via hand gestures, head tracking, and speech. The prototype was tested on camera navigation and...
Flickstop
On February 15, 2026, a blog post announced the first deployment of the Toumai robotic surgery system at Orsi Academy. The post features an image of a surgeon in blue scrubs operating the robot from a console, underscoring the hands‑on...
Medical Robotics Investments - Perspectives
The medical robotics sector is witnessing a wave of mega‑valuations, with more than 30 startups now worth over $1 billion. A standout example is CMR Surgical, whose projected market cap could soar from $3 billion in 2025 to $300 billion by 2050. Venture...
Number of the Day - 230 Units Preordered
MicroPort MedBot’s Toumai surgical robot has surpassed 100 commercial installations worldwide and accumulated more than 160 orders, with 230 units now preordered. The system is deployed across top Chinese hospitals and in over 40 countries, reinforcing the company’s global footprint....
CIS News
The CIS region’s medical robotics landscape is heating up, highlighted by Kazakhstan’s launch of the MISSO robot for orthopedic care and Intuitive Surgical’s Da Vinci 5 receiving FDA clearance for cardiac procedures. Robocath announced its first‑in‑human study of a next‑generation coronary robot,...
Flickstop
A recent BMJ article outlines a comprehensive telesurgery architecture comprising robot, telecommunication, and teleconference subsystems. The design employs a dedicated line with a backup path to link the surgeon console and patient cart, while a secondary console resides in the...
Friday Fun
Researchers at Samsung Medical Center, led by Namkee Oh, announced a breakthrough in surgical robotics by integrating a bimanual mobile robot into minimally invasive procedures. In partnership with Minho Hwang and Rainbow Robotics, the team successfully implemented a virtual remote...
Video Wednesday
Johnson & Johnson’s Verb Surgical unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed robotic platform designed for minimally invasive procedures. The system integrates advanced imaging, AI‑driven guidance, and modular instrument arms to enhance surgeon precision. OTTAVA targets complex abdominal and thoracic surgeries, promising reduced...
Article Intro - JHU Eye Robot
A team from Johns Hopkins has demonstrated an autonomous retinal vein cannulation (RVC) system that combines two Steady‑Hand Eye Robots with deep‑learning vision models. The workflow uses three convolutional neural networks to guide a 100‑µm needle and a medical spatula...
Number of the Day - 13-15% Growth
Intuitive Surgical projects worldwide da Vinci surgical system procedures to grow 13‑15% in 2026, a slowdown from the 18% growth recorded in 2025. The forecast was disclosed in the company’s fourth‑quarter earnings release and outlines the full‑year outlook. Despite the...
Article Intro - AI in Surgery
A systematic review of 188 studies examined artificial intelligence for surgical scene understanding (SSU) in minimally invasive abdominal procedures. The analysis found that most research relies on small, single‑center datasets, with 59% concentrating on laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Validation practices are weak—only...
Number of the Day - 20 Million Patients
Intuitive Surgical announced that more than 20 million patients have undergone procedures using its da Vinci surgical system over the past 25 years. The milestone underscores the platform’s longevity and its penetration across a range of specialties worldwide. Since its 2000 launch, the...
Friday Fun
Unitree Robotics announced that its quadruped Unitree G1 is being trained to operate as a console surgeon. The initiative showcases the robot’s ability to perform precise, remote-controlled tasks traditionally reserved for human surgeons. Training involves integrating AI-driven control algorithms with...
Video Wednesday
Johnson & Johnson’s Verb division unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed robotic platform aimed at expanding minimally invasive surgery capabilities. The system integrates modular hardware with advanced AI control, allowing simultaneous manipulation of multiple instruments. OTTAVA targets high‑complexity procedures in orthopedics, cardiology...
CIS News
Recent weeks have seen a flurry of activity in the surgical robotics sector, highlighted by multiple regulatory clearances, sizable funding rounds, and strategic leadership moves. CMR Surgical secured a CE mark for its Versius platform in pediatric procedures, while Distalmotion...
Number of the Day - 3,153,000
Intuitive Surgical announced that over 3 million da Vinci procedures were performed in 2025, marking a strong continuation of its market leadership. The company posted preliminary full‑year revenue of $10.06 billion, a 21% increase, and Q4 revenue of $2.87 billion, up 19% year‑over‑year....
New Issue of T-MRB Published
The IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics released its August 2025 Issue (Volume 7, Issue 3), featuring 33 regular papers and five invited contributions from the Hamlyn Symposium 2024, totaling 478 pages. A dedicated special section titled “AI‑Driven Health: Transforming Care” showcases cutting‑edge...
Flickstop
Surgerii Robotics announced a $100 million financing round to accelerate the global deployment of its purpose‑built single‑port surgical robot. The capital infusion, led by leading healthcare venture firms, will fund regulatory approvals, manufacturing scale‑up, and market entry across North America, Europe,...
Video Wednesday
Johnson & Johnson’s Verb division unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed robotic platform designed for minimally invasive surgery. The system combines advanced haptic feedback, AI‑driven motion planning, and modular tooling to handle complex procedures. Early trials report a 30% reduction in operative...
CIS News
A wave of breakthroughs is reshaping robotic surgery, highlighted by Johnson & Johnson’s FDA application for its OTTAVA system and Cornerstone Robotics’ first clinical validation of fully autonomous robot‑assisted procedures. Horizon Surgical Systems demonstrated AI‑assisted cataract surgery, while industry analysts...
Flickstop
Great Robotics unveiled its NewDawn AI‑Powered Endoscopic Surgical Robot Platform, performing the world’s first public, fully autonomous ex vivo spinal surgery. The demonstration took place at the 17th Annual Congress of the Chinese Orthopaedic Association, drawing attention from surgeons and...
Video Wednesday
On November 20, 2020, Verb Robotics and Johnson & Johnson unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed surgical robot designed to tackle complex, minimally invasive procedures. The platform combines Verb’s modular robotics expertise with J&J’s medical device portfolio, promising greater dexterity and precision in the operating room....
CIS News
Surgical robotics is experiencing a wave of adoption and investment, highlighted by UHN’s new AI‑driven operating tower and MicroPort’s Toumai robot reaching over 100 global installations. Regulatory milestones include FDA clearances for ZAP‑Axon’s radiosurgery planner and Zimmer Biomet’s enhanced ROSA...
Flickstop
NVIDIA announced strategic collaborations with several surgical‑robot manufacturers to inject its AI‑focused GPU technology into the operating room. The partnership aims to create next‑generation platforms that can rival Intuitive Surgical’s Da Vinci system by delivering real‑time image processing and decision...
Video Wednesday
On November 20, 2020, Verb and Johnson & Johnson unveiled OTTAVA, a six‑armed robotic platform designed for advanced medical procedures. The robot combines high‑precision articulation with integrated imaging to automate complex tasks in surgery and diagnostics. Early prototypes demonstrate simultaneous multi‑tool handling, reducing procedure...
CIS News
A wave of FDA clearances this quarter highlights rapid expansion in surgical robotics, including CMR Surgical’s Versius Plus, Medtronic’s Hugo system for urology, and Intuitive’s da Vinci SP gaining three new indications. MMI secured clearance for robotic microsurgical dissection instruments,...
Number of the Day - $100m Private Investment
Surgical‑robot pioneer Fred Moll has committed roughly $100 million of personal capital to a portfolio of about 15 early‑stage medical‑technology companies. His investments target robots for brain, eye, gastrointestinal, cardiac and blood‑collection procedures, including stakes in XCath, Neptune Medical, ForSight Robotics,...
Number of the Day - $45.87 Bn
The global robotic surgical procedures market is forecast to reach $45.87 billion by 2035, driven by rising demand for minimally invasive surgeries and advances in artificial intelligence. Analysts project a compound annual growth rate of roughly 12% from 2024 through 2035....
Flickstop
Recent posts titled "Flickstop" showcase the rapid evolution of robotic telesurgery, highlighting a six‑armed robot from Ottava and the SSI Mantra 3 system used for remote hernia repair. Images illustrate a medical team operating a robot and a cross‑city internet link...