The challenge: Many of today’s robotic surgery platforms are too large for operating rooms with their mainframe designs, Farritor noted. That’s why only 1 in 10 operating systems in the United States have access to robotic-assisted surgery, per Virtual Incision.
“Mainframes require a dedicated operating room, extensive setup, and specialized staff training,” Farritor said. “MIRA aims to make robotic-assisted surgery more accessible to surgeons and patients through its miniaturized design that is intended to simplify the surgery and setup.”
The big takeaway: The size and price of current robotic surgery systems may hold back implementation.
Larger systems like Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci were among the first to hit the market, but the ISS proof of concept could show how a compact robot can bridge distances from space to remote areas on Earth.
“Robotic-assisted surgery on Earth is already a reality, but logistical inefficiencies of current systems are keeping it from being accessible in any operating room on the planet,” Farritor said. “That’s where MIRA fits in. Our hope is that MIRA is authorized for use in US operating rooms before it heads to space.”
What’s next? Virtual Incision will submit the surgical robot to the FDA by the end of 2022, with potential commercial availability to follow.
Go deeper: Read more about robotics in healthcare in our Smart Hospitals report. This article originally appeared in Insider Intelligence's Digital Health Briefing—a daily recap of top stories reshaping the healthcare industry. Subscribe to have more hard-hitting takeaways delivered to your inbox daily.