Weimu Medical

Weimu Medical (微眸医疗) develops high-precision ophthalmic surgical robots designed to address the technical challenges of retinal and posterior segment eye surgery. Founded in December 2020 and headquartered in Guangzhou’s Nansha District, the company has assembled a multidisciplinary team from Technical University of Munich, ETH Zurich, Sun Yat-sen University, and Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center.

Company Overview

The company emerged from over a decade of research in robotic microsurgery, aiming to create “femtosecond-like” intelligent automation for complex retinal procedures. Weimu Medical maintains research collaborations with Johns Hopkins University, Carl Zeiss, and Siemens Healthineers, combining expertise in software automation, mechanical engineering, AI, and clinical ophthalmology.

The founding team includes Professor Yan Pisong as Co-founder and CEO, bringing extensive experience in medical-engineering crossover research. The company has secured more than 40 independent invention patents and utility model patents, with over 20 papers published in international journals.

Core Products

Cleave Bird (克利伯德®) High-Precision Ophthalmic Surgical Robot

The flagship product employs a proprietary serial-parallel hybrid robotic architecture achieving 5 degrees of freedom and micron-level positioning accuracy. The system filters physiological hand tremor, maintaining repeatability precision below 10μm—essential for delicate retinal procedures where standard hand movements introduce unacceptable variability.

Key technical features include Remote Center of Motion (RCM) design with force feedback for real-time dynamic adjustment, ensuring surgical safety during manipulation within the eye. The modular architecture allows intraoperative instrument exchange while maintaining ergonomic control via a handheld interface.

Additional Product Lines

Weimu Medical has developed three core product systems:

• Retinal Surgery System: Primary surgical platform, first in China to pass type inspection
• Precision Drug Delivery System: For accurate subretinal and intravitreal injection
• Ophthalmic Training System: Surgical skills training platform

Technology & Innovation

The company’s serial-parallel robotic architecture represents an original approach to microsurgical robotics. Unlike purely parallel or serial designs, this hybrid configuration balances workspace flexibility with the stability required for sub-millimeter ophthalmic procedures.

The 5G Remote Surgery System, developed in collaboration with Sun Yat-sen University’s Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (Professor Lin Haotian’s team) and the university’s Computer Science department (Professor Huang Kai’s team), achieved a significant milestone in June 2023: the world’s first 5G remote micron-level ophthalmic surgery, performed at Hainan Provincial Eye Hospital with the surgical team operating remotely. One-month postoperative follow-up confirmed successful patient recovery.

Clinical Development Status

The Retinal Surgery System has completed:

• Type inspection (first in China for this category)
• Preclinical animal studies in rabbits and primates
• Registration clinical trials initiated in late 2023
• Expected NMPA registration filing in 2024

Recognition

• Greater Bay Area Bio-tech Innovation Enterprise Top 50 – Emerging Enterprise Award
• 6th “Blooming Cup” 5G Application Competition – National First Prize (Application Integration Technology Track)
• China Shenzhen Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition – Advanced Manufacturing First Prize
• HKUST One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition – Third Prize
• Greater Bay Area Medical Device Innovation Competition – Second Prize

Key Milestones

• 2020-12: Company established in Guangzhou
• 2023-06: World’s first 5G remote micron-level ophthalmic surgery completed
• 2023-11: Pre-A funding round completed (tens of millions RMB)
• 2023: Retinal surgery system passed type inspection and completed animal studies
• 2024: Registration clinical trials underway

Frequently Asked Questions

What surgeries can Weimu Medical’s robot perform?

The Cleave Bird system is designed for vitreoretinal surgery, intravitreal injection, subretinal injection, corneal transplantation, and cataract surgery—procedures requiring precision beyond typical human hand stability.

Is Weimu Medical’s ophthalmic robot approved for clinical use?

As of early 2024, the Retinal Surgery System is in registration clinical trials. The company expects to file for NMPA approval following trial completion.

What makes Weimu Medical’s technology different from other surgical robots?

The serial-parallel hybrid architecture achieves sub-10μm repeatability—approximately 10 times more precise than typical human hand movements—specifically engineered for the confined surgical space and delicate tissues of the eye.