Robotics In Europe, Part II

Though interest in robotics is high in Europe, much of the commercial opportunity will likely fall to two small US companies who are just now aggressively spreading the gospel of robotics through affiliations with minimally-invasive surgery pioneers. That's not to say that European companies are standing idly by: Germany's Maquet is pushing forward with an orthopedic robot. Many obstacles to adoption remain for robots, but the high cost of these units may not be as much of a problem as might be expected. The goal--and challenge--for robotic companies and their clinical advocates: to firmly establish computer-assisted surgery as an important new platform and clinical advance in surgical practice.