‘CARLO’ wins 2015 CTI Swiss Medtech Award

A well-programmed robot possessing navigation and laser technology can operate far more precisely than even the best of surgeons. A team comprising Philippe C. Cattin, professor for image-guided therapy (IGT), oral and maxillofacial surgeons Hans-Florian Zeilhofer and Philipp Jürgens of the University Hospital of Basel and laser physicist and entrepreneur Alfred E. Bruno (AOT AG) has developed such a system, which they call CARLO (Computer-Assisted, Robot-guided Laser Osteotome). This system processes several hundred megabytes of data per second and can make its own decisions based on sensor data. A first procedure using CARLO is planned to take place in 2016 as part of this CTI project.

Annalise Eggimann, Director of the CTI Board, and Gábor Székely, head of CTI Medtech, presented Dr Alfredo E. Bruno (CEO of AOT AG) and Dr Philippe C. Cattin (University of Basel) with the award, which includes a cheque for CHF 15,000. Their project was selected from among three nominated projects by an audience of around 380 medtech researchers and industry experts.

Two further projects were nominated for the CTI Swiss Medtech Award: a simulation platform by ZMT Zurich MedTech AG and the IT’IS Foundation that makes personalised medicine and treatment planning possible through complex anatomic computer models – and a 3D tissue printing device developed by biomedicine company regenHU Ltd.

CTI Medtech Initiative
The CTI Medtech Initiative has supported approximately 465 projects since its foundation in 1997. CTI Medtech has two objectives: to support innovation and the competitiveness of Swiss medical technology and to stimulate the transfer of knowledge between fields of research, medtech companies, start-ups and SMEs. In 2014, CTI approved 36 projects and awarded federal grants amounting to CHF 10.5 million.

(CN)