The verified answer
As of Oct 2026, DEPLOY verifies ROBODOC: 1 model, 1 deployment across 1 region, 1 active incident. 1 source back the record.
CategorySurgical robots
Overview
ROBODOC is a pioneer surgical robotics system for orthopedic surgery, originally developed in 1986 by Dr. William Bargar and veterinarian Howard 'Hap' Paul at the University of California, Davis. The ROBODOC Surgical Assistant performs total hip and total knee replacement surgeries with robotic precision.
It was commercialized by Integrated Surgical Systems (ISS), which later became Think surgical in 2014. ROBODOC received FDA clearance in 2008 and was the first orthopaedic robotic-assisted system, with hundreds of procedures performed worldwide.
Verified record
- Verified deployments
- 1 deployment on file
- Active incidents
- 1 incident on file
Key facts
Developer
Current Owner
Milestone
Smithsonian Collection
Founder
FDA clearance
Procedures
Data & sources
Web sources
1
1 source backing this record.View all →
Models (1)
View all models →Partnerships
Every company ROBODOC has built with, alongside the ones only announced in a press release.
Most-frequent partners
Most recent
- ROBODOC x Zimmer Biomet (TMINI)2024-06-11with Zimmer Biometoperating
ROBODOC on the deployment map
View the global map1 verified deployment across 1 region, newest verified Nov 1992. Explore where ROBODOC's robots are operating, by place and type.
View the full ROBODOC deployment record →
Relationships
Current leadership (2)
- William Bargar Co-founder & Orthopedic Surgeonreported, not verified
- Howard Paul Co-founder & Veterinarianreported, not verified
Founders (2)
- William Bargarcofounderno longer at company
- Howard Paulcofounderno longer at company
Safety record
Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Full safety record: incidents, sourcing, and exposure data →
Incidents affecting ROBODOC (1)
- ROBODOC Surgical System receives FDA 510(k) marketing clearance2026-06-30 · Regulatory action
Includes incidents linked directly to this company, to its models, or to deployments of its models or under its operation. Retracted incidents are excluded from this view but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Operator customers (1)
- ROBODOC1 deployment
Recent coverage
ROBODOC in third-party press
Peer companies
- Brainlab2 models
- EndoQuest Robotics2 models
- Intuitive Surgical2 models
- Koninklijke Philips2 models
- LEM Surgical2 models
- MicroPort MedBot2 models
Financial state
- Reporting basis
- private_reported
- Lifecycle stage
- early
- Counterparty risk class
- moderate
Each numeric field carries its own basis marker. Aggregators report a number; this surface preserves the source class so verification depth travels with the value.
Partnerships
4 total · 4 operating
Every company ROBODOC has built with, alongside the ones only announced in a press release.
Most recent
- ROBODOC x Zimmer Biomet (TMINI)2024-06-11with Zimmer Biometoperating
All 4 partnerships
open in the atlas →- robodoc x nvidiawithNVIDIA1112technology—operating
- robodoc x awswithAWS976technology—operating
- ROBODOC x THINK SurgicalwithTHINK Surgicaltechnology—operating
- ROBODOC x Zimmer Biomet (TMINI)withZimmer Biometdistribution2024-06-11operating
Timeline
Every recorded move in ROBODOC’s history, most recent first: funding rounds, partnerships, acquisitions, supply-chain starts, key hires, and press.
PartnershipROBODOC x Zimmer Biomet (TMINI)
2024-06-11THINK Surgical the maker of ROBODOC entered a limited exclusive distribution and supply agreement with Zimmer Biomet for the TMINI Miniature Robotic System for total knee arthroplasty. Zimmer Biomet integrates its technology into a customized TMINI robotic solution complementing its ROSA Robotics portfolio.
Recent activity
Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.
- Record createdJul 3, 2026
Added to the verified registry
- Incident recordedJun 30, 2026
ROBODOC Surgical System receives FDA 510(k) marketing clearance
- Deployment verifiedVerifiedNov 1, 1992
ROBODOC Surgical System at Sacramento, California, USA
Sources (1)
Common questions
What is ROBODOC?
What does ROBODOC make?
Is ROBODOC publicly traded?
Who competes with ROBODOC?
Who is the CEO of ROBODOC?
How can I invest in ROBODOC?
Where is ROBODOC headquartered?
Who owns ROBODOC?
Where does ROBODOC operate robots?
How many robots has ROBODOC deployed?
Is ROBODOC a top robotics company?
When was ROBODOC founded?
Are there any incidents involving ROBODOC?
Is ROBODOC safe?
Methodology: Verified · 1 source (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-08-21
Verification posture
Verified
Low confidence
Review state
Stable
Last reviewed 2026-08-21
Sources by quality tier
- 1
- unclassified
- Unclassified source
The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.
Methodology surface for ROBODOC.Peer companies
- Brainlab2 models
- EndoQuest Robotics2 models
- Intuitive Surgical2 models
- Koninklijke Philips2 models
- LEM Surgical2 models
- MicroPort MedBot2 models
In the press
Recent coverage mentioning ROBODOC from third-party publications. Automatically surfaced; not part of the verified registry record.
DigiMatch n ROBODOC Surgical System Receives FDA 510(k) Marketing Clearance
ROBODOC surgical system received FDA 510(k) clearance for orthopedic procedures.
How a Robot Made Medical History in Sacramento 30 Years Ago
ROBODOC, the pioneering surgical robot, celebrated 30 years since its first procedure. Dr. In K. Mun of THINK Surgical spoke at the Smithsonian acquisition ceremony.
Why This Robotic Medical Device Belongs in a Museum
Smithsonian Magazine profiles ROBODOC as a pioneering robotic medical device developed by William Bargar and Howard Paul that revolutionized joint replacement surgery.
Origins of Robotic Surgery: From Skepticism to Standard of Care
A clinical review tracing the origins of robotic surgery, including ROBODOC developed by William Bargar for prosthetic hip replacement, from skepticism to standard of care.
ROBODOC Surgical Device, prototype
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History documents the ROBODOC surgical robot prototype, developed by William Bargar and Howard Paul for total hip and knee replacement…
Machine-readable surfaces
- Markdown mirror: /companies/robodoc.md
- RSS feed: /companies/robodoc/feed.xml
- JSON-LD: embedded in this page’s head
- REST API: /v1/companies/5f99b08a-d0a3-4d07-ab99-24eba572366a
- Revision history: /companies/robodoc/history
- Data documentation: /data
- Query this programmatically: Deploy MCP
Peer companies
- Brainlab2 models
- EndoQuest Robotics2 models
- Intuitive Surgical2 models
- Koninklijke Philips2 models
- LEM Surgical2 models
- MicroPort MedBot2 models
Video
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for free here: https://sc.mp/subscribe-youtube China’s Shenzhen Luohu People's Hospital has unveiled the first fully automate
Pretty funny story from the set of RoboCop. Peter Weller denies everything. Featured clip from the highly entertaining ROBODOC: The creation of RoboCop. RoboDo
RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop takes an in-depth look into the ground breaking franchise and features new interviews with cast and crew including Hollywood ic
Development for the ROBODOC® Surgical System Began in 1986; and in 1992, the ROBODOC® System made medical history as the first of its kind to be used on human
1990s, VINTAGE, ROBODOC, SUTTER HOSPITAL, ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AUTOMATED SURGICAL ROBOT
A brief Introduction & demo of RoboDoc - The autonomous telehealth robot from Invento Robotics.
The first attempt failed - Robots assisting in the operating room, doing joint replacements more precisely than any doctor. That's the way it was to supposed to
(13 Jul 2007) Program version at 10:56:41 HEADLINE: What's up, robodoc? Robot doctor makes rounds --------------------------------------- CAPTION: Has it
Compared to traditional surgery, MAKO robot-assisted surgery has been proven to significantly reduce pain after surgery, Allow faster recovery in early knee mov
Heat Index
Serious58/100
A composite of competitive footprint, funding, press velocity, active partnerships, and supply-chain edges. Different from the Intelligence score below (which is per-form-factor productization). Non-robotics companies cap at 25.
Reality vs attention
ROBODOC draws attention at the 55th percentile but verifies reality at the 11th percentile among surgical robots. Hype Gap +44.2, 6th widest among surgical robots.
6-month trend
Analysis
Safety profile within acceptable range for category. Limited public funding data for capital position assessment.
Signal flags
Dimension breakdown
Verified signal
Attention (reach, not merit)
DEPLOY Intelligence scores are computed from verified registry data: confirmed deployments, disclosed funding rounds, regulatory filings, active job listings, video viewership, and press coverage. Confidence ratings reflect data availability. Scores update nightly.
DEPLOY Indices — verified vs claimed
Last computed: Oct 2, 2026