Backed by European automation giant ABB, $20.3 billion was raised by a start-up creating robots to assist surgeons in carrying out keyhole surgery.

A surgeon is allowed to operate by only making a tiny incision rather than a large opening after he inserts a camera into the body which is known as keyhole surgery. Certain types of surgery are conducted in a quicker and safer way by keyhole surgery. However, highly experienced surgeons, who are often in short supply, are required to effectively conduct the process.

Hence a machine that which will have arms controlled by a surgeon could be the answer to such shortfall in highly experienced surgeons and Cambridge Medical Robotics (CMR) is in the process of developing such machines. A doctor could operate the robot to do the operation and would not have to train as long to carry out keyhole surgery if such robots are put to actual use.

“Today 12 million people in the world should receive minimal access surgery but only half do and that’s because keyhole surgery is hard to perform and takes time to learn to become an excellent keyhole surgeon,” Martin Frost, chief executive of CMR said.

“The robots that exist today are very expensive and they only adapt themselves well to procedures to the pelvic area of the body. We are building a system that will help the surgeon do the vast majority of procedures using minimal access techniques but using the robot to do it,” Frost added.

Due to the competitive nature of the medical equipment industry, CMR is hesitant to discuss details even rough though it has a working prototype.

A number of lightweight “modular arms” which would have a greater range of movement than a human arm is the main feature of the machine as described by Frost. An instrument that will go into a human body is attached to the end of the robot arm.

However a surgeon would control the robot. Traits similar to video game controllers are all that Frost was ready to say about how the robot was controlled.

“It’s not a joystick but it incorporates much of the ergonomic technology that has come out of video gaming technology. You are looking at surgical hand grips, and different controls and buttons on the hand grip which allow the surgeon to move around the different robotic arms and camera,” Frost told CNBC.

LGT Global invest, Cambridge Innovation Capital and ABB Technology Ventures, the venture capital arm of European automation giant ABB, were the contributors to the $20.3 million funding round. Cambridge, a large technology hub in the U.K. is the headquarters of CMR which was founded in 2014.

CMR is currently doing trials on cadavers and will be unveiling the full system over the next 12 months. Regulatory approval from European Union and U.S. medical authorities is also being sought by it.

“We won’t have the commercial product in the market in 2017, but we do expect to be in the market shortly thereafter,” Frost said.

(Adapted from CNBC)

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