
The Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Ethicon is working with Google’s Life Sciences team to create more advanced robots for the operating room. The two companies want to create “a robotic-assisted surgical platform capable of integrating advanced technologies,” according to a press release.
“For more than 60 years, Ethicon has developed products and technologies that have transformed the way surgery is done,” said Gary Pruden, Worldwide Chairman, Global Surgery Group, Johnson & Johnson. “This collaboration with Google is another important step in our commitment to advancing surgical care, and together, we aim to put the best science, technology and surgical know-how in the hands of medical teams around the world.”
Several such robotic surgical platforms already exist. They typically give doctors more control during surgery, often making procedures less invasive and traumatic. This, in turn, can speed healing. The companies didn’t indicate exactly what aspects of such system they hope to improve upon, saying only that they want to integrate “best-in-class medical device technology with leading-edge robotic systems, imaging and data analytics.”