ROBO Medical

ROBO Medical, headquartered in Shenzhen’s Nanshan Science Park with origins tracing back to Silicon Valley, has developed the world’s first single-arm flexible gastrointestinal surgical robot system. The company’s Picasso platform received NMPA approval in March 2025, marking a significant milestone in the emerging field of endoluminal surgical robotics.

Company Overview

Founded in 2015, ROBO Medical assembles an international team of robotics and automation specialists alongside medical professionals. The company maintains R&D centers across multiple locations including Silicon Valley (USA), Shenzhen and Suzhou (China), and Switzerland.

The founding team includes former GE Healthcare China executives, IEEE Fellows, recipients of US Presidential Science Awards, and core researchers from French ultrasound robotics institutes. This diverse technical background has enabled ROBO Medical to develop proprietary flexible robotic technologies for minimally invasive gastrointestinal procedures.

In June 2023, ROBO Medical completed a Series A financing round led by Taikun Fund, raising tens of millions of RMB. BGI Group (华大智造) is also among the company’s investors, reflecting confidence in the platform’s commercial potential.

Core Products

Picasso Digestive Endoscopic Surgical Assistance System

Picasso represents a breakthrough in endoluminal surgery—it is the world’s first single-arm flexible gastrointestinal surgical robot system. Developed in collaboration with the gastroenterology team at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, the system targets endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) procedures for early-stage gastrointestinal cancers.

The robot features a miniature continuum flexible robotic arm with a diameter under 3mm, achieving 6 degrees of freedom with precise master-slave control. By replacing traditional endoscope movements with robotic arm motion, Picasso makes ESD procedures more intuitive for surgeons, potentially shortening operative times and reducing intraoperative complications.

Technology & Innovation

ROBO Medical’s core innovation lies in its flexible continuum robot technology. Unlike rigid surgical robots designed for laparoscopic procedures, Picasso navigates through natural orifices and operates within the confined spaces of the gastrointestinal tract.

Key technical advantages include:

• Miniaturized flexible arm design compatible with standard endoscopes
• Master-slave control system that translates surgeon movements into precise robotic actions
• Platform compatibility with existing endoscopic infrastructure—no need to modify traditional endoscope structures or change established surgical workflows

The company has emphasized that Picasso maintains universal compatibility with conventional endoscopes, a design philosophy intended to lower adoption barriers for gastroenterologists already familiar with standard ESD techniques.

Clinical Applications

ESD has become a standard treatment for early-stage gastrointestinal cancers, offering minimally invasive tumor removal without external surgical incisions. However, the procedure demands exceptional technical skill—in China, only several hundred physicians are qualified to perform ESD, while annual demand exceeds 500,000 cases.

Traditional ESD involves single-instrument operation, lengthy procedure times, and risks of complications including perforation. Picasso aims to address these challenges by providing robotic assistance that can reduce bleeding and perforation rates, lower the technical threshold for surgeons, and enable broader adoption of ESD in community hospitals.

The system completed multi-center NMPA registration clinical trials, which were initiated in May 2022 to evaluate safety and efficacy in ESD procedures.

Market Presence

ROBO Medical operates in a nascent but strategically important segment of the surgical robotics market. Endoluminal surgical robots remain at early stages globally, with only a handful of products under development in the United States, Singapore, and China.

The company hosted the 2016 World Medical Robotics Conference in Shenzhen, establishing its position as an industry convener. Participants from over ten countries including China, the United States, Germany, and Switzerland attended the event focused on advancing medical robotics development.

Key Milestones

• 2015: Company founded in Shenzhen
• 2016: Hosted inaugural World Medical Robotics Conference
• 2022: Initiated NMPA registration clinical trials for Picasso
• 2023: Completed Series A financing led by Taikun Fund
• 2025: Picasso received NMPA approval, becoming the first approved digestive endoscopic surgical robot in China

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ROBO Medical’s main product?

ROBO Medical’s flagship product is the Picasso Digestive Endoscopic Surgical Assistance System, a flexible robot designed to assist with ESD (endoscopic submucosal dissection) procedures for early-stage gastrointestinal cancers.

Has Picasso received regulatory approval?

Yes, Picasso received NMPA (China) approval in March 2025. It became the first commercially approved digestive endoscopic surgical robot in China. CE and FDA status have not been publicly announced.

Where is ROBO Medical headquartered?

ROBO Medical is headquartered in Nanshan Science Park, Shenzhen, China. The company also maintains R&D centers in Silicon Valley (USA), Suzhou (China), and Switzerland.