Rossum Robot

Rossum Robot emerged from a collaboration between Beihang University and Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, focusing on what the orthopedic community considers one of the most technically demanding procedures: closed reduction of pelvic fractures. The company achieved a breakthrough in December 2023 when its flagship product received NMPA approval as China’s first robotic system capable of performing minimally invasive pelvic fracture reduction.

Company Overview

Founded in September 2017 by Dr. Yu Wang, Rossum Robot represents a spin-off from Beihang University’s biomedical engineering research. Dr. Wang brings over two decades of experience in orthopedic robotics, having participated in China’s first orthopedic surgical robot project during his doctoral studies in 2003—technology that was later commercialized by Tinavi (天智航) to become China’s first registered orthopedic surgical robot.

The company’s development philosophy centers on addressing genuine clinical needs through deep medicine-engineering integration. Rather than pursuing incremental improvements to existing positioning robots, Rossum Robot chose to tackle the technically challenging domain of fracture reduction—a capability that major international players in the US, Japan, and Germany had attempted but failed to bring to clinical application.

Clinical partnership with Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, particularly with Professor Wu Xinbao (Deputy Director and Chief of Trauma Orthopedics), provided essential surgical expertise throughout the development process. This collaboration involved weekly on-site exchanges and regular surgical observations, ensuring the robotic system addresses real-world clinical requirements.

Core Products

Rossum WanXiang® Intelligent Orthopedic Surgical Robot System

The flagship product received NMPA Class III medical device registration in December 2023 as an innovative medical device. The system represents the world’s first surgical robot capable of performing minimally invasive reduction of complex fractures.

The system comprises three main components: a master control trolley, a robotic arm trolley, and a navigation positioning toolkit. Key capabilities include intraoperative real-time 3D navigation, robot-assisted fracture reduction operations, and intelligent surgical planning covering the entire workflow from closed reduction to minimally invasive fixation.

Clinical deployment across 14 provinces and municipalities in over 20 hospitals has demonstrated closed reduction success rates exceeding 98% and excellent outcome rates above 95%—significantly surpassing manual reduction by experienced surgeons while reducing radiation exposure for both patients and medical staff.

Rossum Lighthouse® Intelligent Compact Surgical Robot

Approved by NMPA in February 2024, this compact system targets trauma and spinal surgery navigation and positioning. The product integrates the flexibility and stability of the Rossum Tiangong® surgical robotic arm with the dynamic real-time visualization navigation from the WanXiang system.

Designed for broader adoption in primary healthcare facilities, the Lighthouse system features precise positioning, compact footprint, and operational flexibility to enable digitalized minimally invasive surgery in settings beyond major teaching hospitals.

Technology & Innovation

Rossum Robot’s core technological achievement lies in solving the force and trajectory control problems that had prevented robotic fracture reduction. Traditional orthopedic robots perform positioning and targeting in extracorporeal space; reduction requires transmitting controlled forces into the body to move bone fragments—a fundamentally different technical challenge requiring:

• Force-position dual feedback control: Precise force application while maintaining spatial accuracy
• Six-degree-of-freedom real-time navigation: Position and attitude adjustment in three-dimensional space
• Preoperative CT and intraoperative CBCT image registration: Integration of imaging data for surgical planning
• Mirror image and surface continuity constraints: Algorithms for optimal reduction trajectory calculation

The company has developed through three prototype generations, building a technical moat through proprietary algorithms and hardware integration that competitors would find difficult to replicate quickly.

Market Presence

Commercial deployment began following the December 2023 NMPA approval, with installations across 20+ hospitals in 14 provinces and autonomous regions. The system has completed over 300 surgical procedures as of late 2024, demonstrating consistent clinical performance.

The primary target market includes major trauma centers treating pelvic fractures, which traditionally required open surgery with large incisions, significant blood loss, and high complication rates. By enabling closed reduction, the system addresses a substantial unmet clinical need.

Key Milestones

• 2017: Company founded as Beihang University spin-off
• 2021: First robotic pelvic fracture closed reduction surgery performed globally
• 2022: Completed Series B financing exceeding CNY 100 million
• 2023-12: Rossum WanXiang® received NMPA Class III approval (innovative device)
• 2024-02: Rossum Lighthouse® received NMPA approval
• 2024-09: Rossum Qingtian® elastic traction device received Beijing innovative device registration
• 2025-01: Completed Series C financing with Medtronic China Fund participation

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Rossum Robot different from other orthopedic surgical robots?

Most orthopedic surgical robots focus on positioning and navigation for joint replacement or spinal procedures. Rossum Robot’s systems are the first to achieve actual fracture reduction—physically manipulating bone fragments into correct alignment—which requires solving significantly more complex force control and real-time tracking challenges.

What types of surgeries can Rossum WanXiang perform?

The WanXiang system is designed specifically for adult pelvic fracture surgery, enabling closed reduction of complex fractures that would traditionally require open surgery. It provides navigation positioning for surgical tools, bone pins, and screw implants throughout the procedure.

Is Rossum Robot publicly traded?

No, Rossum Robot remains a private company. It has completed multiple financing rounds including Series B and Series C, with investors including Shenzhen Capital Group, Medtronic China Fund, and Beijing municipal investment funds.