S. Korea to Localize Highly Sophisticated Medical Robots

South Korea will localize manufacturing of highly sophisticated medical robots, including ones for artificial joints on the back of increased demand for precision surgery category. Intelligent surveillance robot systems are to be commercialized as well.

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) unveiled the plan on July 27 during a cooperation ceremony at Marriott Hotel attended by CUREXO, Samsung Medical Center (SMC), Samsung Techwin and Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC).

CUREXO and SMC will jointly participate in developing surgery robots for artificial joint operation and develop technologies to localize surgery robots for artificial joint operation.

CUREXO which secured core technologies by acquiring the U.S.-based Integrated Surgical Services in 2007 (ISS) will develop cutter for a surgery robot called 'robot doc', robot arms and surgery measures solely based on home-grown technologies. The company will also cooperate with SMC in undertaking clinical trial, publishing articles and assisting academic exchange.

The government will support 4 billion won ($3.2 million) in budget with the two companies investing a total of 1.33 billion won ($1.06 million).

Artificial joint market has been growing by 10 percent annually backed by the increasing number of surgeries stemmed from ageing society. Medical robot market is also expected to grow by $7.34 billion by 2013 worldwide . Surgery robot market at a national level totaled 92 billion won ($73 million) last year and has solely been depending on imports.

Meanwhile, Samsung Techwin and KNOC will establish a test bed for surveillance robot system at oil reserve site in Soesan. Furthermore, both have reached an agreement to add the system in 10 oil reserves across the nation once the robot system is proven to be effective.

[Yen-mi Hong/ JYJ]

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