Robots in the medical industry

**KUKA: your Partner in Medical Robotics**

Your first choice for robot-based medical devices

KUKA is not only one of the biggest global players in automation but also a leading supplier of robotic components for medical devices. It is the only globally operating robotics company with an entire industry management team dedicated to medical robotics. Based on more than two decades of experience in robotics healthcare, our team offers medical device manufactures the products and expertise to support them on their way to market. As a dedicated medical R&D department, we are continuously developing market-relevant software packages and refining existing industrial solutions cutting-edge healthcare solutions.

From diagnostics and surgical interventions on the patient right through to therapy: KUKA robots meet the stringent requirements needed in the medical field and are well-suited to a wide variety of medical technology use cases.

Depending on the intended use, either the sensitive and collaborative lightweight robot with integrated sensors - KUKA LBR Med - or robots with payload capacities of 50 to 300 kilograms such as the KUKA KR Quantec are utilized by our MedTech partners in their medical devices.
As key supplier, KUKA offers a high-precision platform for robotic assistance systems in clinical applications. The platform can be used for a variety of medical robotic applications such as diagnostics, various surgical procedures or rehabilitation exercises. In addition, it can be used for cancer treatments to facilitate the work of physicians and improve the well-being of patients.

We are the sole robot manufacturer that meets the standards of medical product manufacturers with the LBR Med and the only one with a specialist team for medical robotics.

Axel Weber, Vice President of KUKA Medical Robotics

KUKA's robotic platforms are utilized in medical robots developed by our partners

KUKA technology is used for a better patient outcome and can be found in assistive or surgical systems such as:

Robert®, a rehabilitation robot from Life Science Robotics, that assists bedridden patients with their exercises.
Surgical robots for minimal invasive surgery or orthopedic interventions of patients e. g. knee replacement with tailor made implants
Medical robots for improved cancer diagnosis and treatment of patients like guidoo® or Sculptura®
CARLO® a medical robot for facial non-contact bone surgery using cold laser ablation invented by AOT AG
Aesthetic surgery for hair restauration by Venus Concept® formally known as Restauration Robotics or even
a well-being device like the massage robot iYU from Caspix.

These are just some examples where the certified cobot LBR Med is utilized in healthcare and there is more to come. The assistive robots are operated with KUKA Sunrise.OS Med which meets the requirements of IEC 62304:2006 (First Edition) + A1:2015. The operating system is based on Java 8 and Windows 10.

Large hospital-based KUKA robots carrying heavy medical equipment in the OR are mostly used for imaging and cancer treatments. Use cases and procedures our partners are:

Therapy for tumor treatment with CyberKnife® by Accuray
Particle based radiation therapy by BEC GmbH
Systems for angiography and hybrid operating rooms

Take a look at a selection of case studies where KUKA technology is used in different fields of healthcare

KUKA Innovation Award 2022

This year's KUKA Innovation Award targets the interaction of robotic systems with patients and surgeons. The Robotics in Healthcare Challenge is looking for new solutions for the healthcare sector.

Five teams have made it to the finals with their innovative robotic ideas. They are focusing on healing serious skin wounds, promoting maternal health, assisting with arthritis examinations or showcase brain surgery or rehabilitation using the robotic arm LBR Med.

New technologies are playing an increasingly important role in healthcare and will be virtually indispensable in the future. The finalists are showacasing cutting-edge health technology The international jury of renowned professors, KUKA experts and medical technologists will select a winner at MEDICA fair in Düsseldorf, November 2022.

E-book about KUKA robotics and the medical technology of the future

Robots will play a decisive role in clinical healthcare of tomorrow. Find out more about this in our free e-book "Collaborative and sensitive robots set to shape the future of medicine"