Defining the Debate in Soft Tissue Robotics
To level-set the discussion, Mullings began by asking the panelists to define what “open” and “closed” mean in the context of soft tissue robotics. Greg Roche, CEO of Distalmotion, put it simply: “Choice is the difference between open and closed. When you close something down, you limit the offering in the long term.” Roche argued that open systems allow surgeons and hospitals to pick best-in-class technologies across the surgical stack, building a custom ecosystem instead of being locked into a single vendor. Scott Huennekens, former CEO of Verb Surgical and longtime digital surgery leader, offered a broader systems view. “I never even liked the term ‘robotic surgery.’ I always preferred ‘digital surgery,’” he said. “It’s not just about the robot. It’s about instruments, connectivity, data, analytics, and precision guidance, all working together.” For more information visit here: https://anyflip.com/ybicl/nomu/basic