Brainomix and Nanoflex Robotics have secured grants totaling £400,000 and CHF 400,000 to jointly develop an AI-assisted magnetic navigation system for advanced stroke-related robotic surgery tools. Innovate UK and Innosuisse provided the funding. Brainomix specializes in AI for medical treatment decisions, while Nanoflex Robotics focuses on stroke treatment. Their collaboration, starting in 2024, aims to revolutionize stroke treatment with AI-enhanced navigation, potentially enabling remote thrombectomy. Brainomix recently obtained FDA clearance for its AI stroke software, and Nanoflex Robotics received significant funding, highlighting the growing significance of AI in healthcare robotics.
Brainomix, a British medtech company spun out of the University of Oxford, and Nanoflex Robotics, a Switzerland-based remote robotic surgical company, have secured a joint grant of £400,000 ($420,418) and CHF 400,000 ($443,700) from Innovate UK and Innosuisse, respectively. This collaborative effort made possible under the UK–Switzerland Bilateral: Collaborative R&D program, aims to pioneer an AI-assisted magnetic navigation system for advanced robotic tools used in the diagnosis and treatment of strokes.
Brainomix specializes in AI-driven software solutions for aiding medical treatment decisions in fields such as stroke, cancer, and lung fibrosis. Meanwhile, Nanoflex Robotics focuses on medical robotics, particularly for treating ischemic strokes. They have developed a cutting-edge soft robotics system designed to safely insert guidewires and catheters into the brain, streamlining procedures and minimizing risks associated with interventional stroke treatments.
Beginning in 2024, these two companies will integrate their technologies to create an AI-enhanced navigation tool suitable for guiding devices like catheters through the vascular system. The primary objective of this collaboration is to harness the potential of artificial intelligence to augment Nanoflex Robotics’ magnetic robotic navigation system, ultimately enabling remote thrombectomy, a groundbreaking advancement in stroke treatment that could significantly enhance patient outcomes.
Dr. George Harston, Chief Medical and Innovation Officer at Brainomix, emphasized, “The project aims to leverage the power of artificial intelligence to enhance Nanoflex Robotics’ cutting-edge magnetic robotic navigation system to be the first system worldwide to enable remote thrombectomy, thus transforming stroke treatment options and helping improve outcomes for patients.”
This development comes on the heels of Brainomix’s recent FDA clearance for its AI-powered stroke software, Brainomix 360 e-ASPECTS, which plays a crucial role in assessing early ischemic changes or blood flow restrictions in stroke patients. Additionally, Brainomix secured £16 million ($16.8 million) in a Series B funding round in 2021.
Nanoflex Robotics has been making strides as well, with the Swiss Innovation Agency awarding the company a second grant this year, bringing their total grant funding to CHF 2.9 million ($3.2 million). In February, they secured $12 million in funding, led by Ascend Capital Partners and with participation from Kinled Holding Ltd and Mountain Labs AG.
In the broader landscape of healthcare robotics, California-based Mendaera recently garnered $24 million in Series A funding, while Diligent Robotics received $25 million in funding to expand the reach of its ‘socially intelligent service robots.’ These developments underscore the growing importance of robotics in healthcare and the potential for AI to revolutionize treatment options for various medical conditions.
