12.02.2005

I'll let the robot do it....



Hansen Medical, a developer of robotic medical technology, raised $30 million through a third round of funding led by Vanguard Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on financing technology and life-sciences ventures. Existing Hansen investors also participating in the round included Prospect Venture Partners, Skyline Venture Partners, Thomas Weisel Healthcare Venture Partners, De Novo Ventures and Sapient Capital.

This brings Hansen's total equity fundraising to more than $58 million.

The Mountain View company has developed a robotic catheter control system for precise catheter navigation and control within the chambers of the heart.

The technology -- which requires regulatory clearance and is not yet commercially available -- includes a robotic catheter manipulator that is designed to respond instinctively to physicians' commands entered into a workstation, allowing doctors to place ablation catheters in hard-to-reach anatomical locations within the heart.

The technology is also designed to allow physicians to maintain stability during treatment of complex cardiac arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, a major cause of stroke and severe long-term disability.

So the robot can be more prcise than us. I'm not sure if we should feel threatened or not. What do you think?

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