Its extensive product line ranging from small up to heavy payload robots allows it to support customised applications

LONDON, U.K. — 12 March 2020— Based on its recent analysis of the global medical robotics market, Frost & Sullivan recognises KUKA with the 2020 Global Company of the Year Award for its medical robotics business unit and especially for its best-in-class LBR Med robot. With a uniquely configurable programming platform and valuable certifications, the LBR Med is one of the most advanced off-the-shelf robots in the market. As the first robotic component certified for medical product integration worldwide, the LBR Med is strategically positioned to dominate the medical robotics market.

The company’s strong reputation in the industrial sector drives its brand in the medical robotics sector. KUKA operates in over 40 countries globally, employs 14,000 employees, and has nearly two decades of experience in medical applications with almost 2,000 systems integrated. It addresses mid-size as well as large clients such as Siemens Healthineers and Accuray. Furthermore, KUKA is a leader in human-robot collaboration (HRC) standards with an extensive knowledge base, as it partners with universities, technology providers, system integrators, research institutes, and end users.

“KUKA’s partner network helps ensure its medical robotic components support cutting-edge innovations such as multi-directional imaging, which eliminates the need for patient repositioning,” said Siddharth Shah, Program Manager. “Unlike other collaborative robot manufacturers, KUKA offers a full line of industrial robots with payloads from 3 kg to more than 1,000 kg. Many industrial robots can be adapted for HRC and are thus used in medical devices that require simpler levels of HRC, but payloads higher than 14 kg. This enables KUKA to address the full range of medical applications, including patient positioning (BEC, Optivus, Accuray), imaging (Siemens), and cancer treatment (Accuray).”

The LBR Med is certified to meet robust medical device standards. For instance, its electrical connections are sealed, while its mounting areas are not exposed in order to prevent fluid and bacteria accumulation. LBR Med also includes strong haptic capabilities, collision prevention, and the ability to perceive external inputs. It provides precise positioning and exceptional sensitivity, responsiveness, and safety during diagnostics, treatment, and surgical interventions. Significantly, it also facilitates the development and incorporation of robotic products by medical device manufacturers.

“While there are many simple collaborative robots in the market, they typically do not provide flexibility, which grossly limits medical applications. LBR Med, on the other hand, is uniquely configurable and versatile. For example, as part of a medical device from Sensus Healthcare, the robot can facilitate intraoperative radiation therapy in a given use case and operate as a rehabilitation application for another from Life Science Robotics. With a variety of preconfigured interfaces, LBR Med is a versatile robot system for various applications in medical technology,” noted Victoria Iglesias-Romo, Best Practices Research Analyst. “This unparalleled expertise and commitment to quality, service, and value have positioned the company for further success in the market.”

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents a Company of the Year award to the organisation that demonstrates excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation in its field. The award recognises a high degree of innovation with products and technologies, and the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognise companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

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Contact:
Kristen Moore
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E: kristen.moore@frost.com

About KUKA
KUKA is a global automation corporation with sales of around EUR 3.2 billion and around 14,200 employees. As a leading global supplier of intelligent automation solutions KUKA offers its customers everything from a single source: from robots and cells to fully automated systems and their networking in markets such as automotive, electronics, general industry, consumer goods, e-commerce/retail and healthcare. The KUKA Group is headquartered in Augsburg, Germany. (31.12.2018)

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