Robotics Stories: Identify opportunities with surgical precision
- 14 October 2024 (3 min read)
Companies and investors alike are gaining an appreciation of the increasingly sophisticated and scalable solutions offered by robotics, particularly within distribution and manufacturing. Yet, the benefits of accelerating developments within the wider robotics universe are also penetrating exciting new sectors, such as healthcare. This is not a new concept; the first robotic surgical operation on a human took place in 1985, when the Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly 200, or PUMA, performed a neurosurgical biopsy, and was rapidly adapted for orthopedic functions1 . Development of surgical robotics continued into the 1990s and beyond, as the potential for robots to not only perform operations, but to do so better, and with more precision than a human counterpart, began to materialize. This potential expanded further as the ability to control surgical robots remotely emerged with the development of robotic arms, capable of both carrying out surgery, and operating as assistants to human surgeons.
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In the present, robotic surgery represents one of several disruptive technologies that originated in previous decades, such as artificial intelligence (AI), yet are increasingly becoming an essential and integrated part of our lives in recent years. Growth and uptake are being driven by accelerated development in both hardware and software capabilities, alongside increased demand for safer, more precise, and innovative medical care for a growing (and aging) global population.2 A leading robotic-assisted surgery tool manufacturer Intuitive Surgical provides an exciting example of the persistent demand and success of the continuously evolving Da Vinci platform. Now in its fifth generation, this leading and well-known robotic surgery platform benefits from decades of research and enhancements and performed more than 2.2 million procedures3 in 2023. Their fifth generation robot leverages AI to reach 10,000 times the computing power of its prior generation. This allows Da Vinci to analyse vast amounts of surgical data, providing insights that can improve training, optimize surgical techniques, reduce variability in outcomes, and allow surgeons to carry out even more complex and less invasive procedures.4
Opportunities within robotic surgery are also emerging from specialised companies such as California-based Procept BioRobotics, with its specific focus on revolutionizing urology patient care. Its AQUABEAM system offers advanced, image-guided, surgical robotics which aim to reduce the invasiveness of traditional urologic surgery, and improve outcomes for patients.5 The company continues to demonstrate a commitment to future growth with the development of its HYDROS aquablation system, which uses high-pressure water jets to carry out precise therapies, enhanced with AI treatment planning and advanced imaging.6 These companies present just part of the growing and dynamic set of potential investment opportunities in robotics and to those seeking suitably diverse exposure to the long-term growth potential associated with the sector.
Companies shown are for illustrative purposes only as of 30/09/2024. It does not constitute investment research or financial analysis relating to transactions in financial instruments, nor does it constitute an offer to buy or sell any investments, products or services, and should not be considered as solicitation or investment, legal or tax advice, a recommendation for an investment strategy or a personalised recommendation to buy or sell securities.
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