LivsMed Debuts New Robotic System With Telesurgery Capabilities

Intent on improving access to surgical care in both underserved regions of developed countries and under-resourced countries, LivsMed has developed and introduced STARK, a new telesurgery-native robotic system.

In partnership with Sovato, the two companies jointly demonstrated the viability of this transformative approach recently as part of an early feasibility wet-lab study held across the 2,000-mile distance between Santa Barbara, Calif., and Chicago. The session showcased LivsMed’s STARK robotic system and Sovato’s remote surgery and procedure platform.

Meeting the challenge of affordability has been central to LivsMed’s mission from the outset. Its ArtiSential line of handheld robotic instruments, introduced in 2018, offers the dexterity of robotic surgery—often with a greater range of motion than traditional robotic instruments—at a fraction of the cost.

The new STARK robotic system utilizes this core technology, providing 90 degrees of articulation. It represents a dramatic contrast to what is currently available, offering superior agility and a significantly smaller footprint, making it viable for facilities that cannot accommodate large robotic systems, according to LivsMed.

The Right Ecosystem With the Missing Link—Affordability

Delivering telesurgery requires a complete ecosystem: a reliable network, trained surgeons and staff, new workflows and technology to bridge the distance, and appropriate equipment and supplies. By uniting these components and addressing the critical factor that current robotic technologies have failed to address—affordability—LivsMed is, for the first time, potentially enabling true democratization of robotic surgery.

“Democratizing robotic surgery isn’t just about technology,” LivsMed CEO Jung Joo Lee said. “It’s about making it affordable, accessible, and practical for every hospital and every patient, no matter where they are. With STARK, we are not only challenging the status quo but also building the foundation for a future where advanced surgical care is truly within reach for all.”

During the demonstration earlier this month, LivsMed and Sovato showed the viability of long-distance telesurgery using the STARK platform. The clinical teams assessed STARK’s emerging remote capabilities and surgical functionality, combined with Sovato’s workflows, telepresence, and network performance. This wet lab study will contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting safe, effective, and scalable telesurgery.

“LivsMed shares our vision to make remote surgery widely accessible and economically sustainable. Our July demonstration showcased the power of combining LivsMed’s telesurgery-native STARK robotic system with Sovato’s full platform capabilities—delivering a seamless surgeon experience that inspires confidence and trust at any distance,” Sovato Co-Founder/CEO Cynthia Perazzo stated.

Yuman Fong, M.D., Yanghee Woo, M.D., and Max Hazeltine M.D., from City of Hope, whose National Medical Center was rated a top five U.S. hospital for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report, completed multiple procedures remotely on a porcine model. These procedures included a cholecystectomy, gastrojejunostomy, and partial liver resection.

“I was thrilled to try out the new robot for the first time, especially in a remote telesurgery setting,” Dr. Woo commented. “The ease of adaptation with STARK and its capabilities immediately impressed me, especially when I realized the needle could articulate beyond my expectations. Usually, it’s a bit of a struggle to find the correct angle for continuous suturing of a bowel anastomosis, but during the procedure, every stitch went exactly where I wanted—without a lot of effort on my part. One might ask if 90 degree articulation really is needed. I realized its benefits when I was suturing at a horizontal angle. The procedure goes much smoother than expected.”

Yuman Fong, M.D., chair and professor of City of Hope’s Department of Surgery and president of Clinical Robotic Surgery Association (CRSA), supervised the wet lab’s design and completion. He noted the distance between sites provided a valid test of the combined system’s efficacy.

“The future of robotic surgery has a remote workflow. We performed remote robotic surgery from Santa Barbara to Chicago—about 2,000 miles apart, a reasonable distance to test important remote surgery workflows,” Dr. Fong noted. “The architecture is different than many of the other architectures on the market yet adopting it was seamless. The control felt natural. The response rate was good, even at that distance. I felt like I was working with an old friend, immediately.”

LivsMed’s STARK RAS system is not approved for use and not currently for sale.

LivsMed develops surgical solutions. Collaborating with physicians worldwide, LivsMed focuses on revolutionizing minimally invasive surgery, advancing patient outcomes, and extending life for patients.

Sovato is striving to create better access to high-quality care; it is the first and only whole solution purpose-built to enable safe, scalable, and economically sustainable remote robotic-assisted surgery and procedure programs for healthcare organizations worldwide. Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., Sovato was co-founded by Perazzo and industry pioneer Yulun Wang, Ph.D., founder of Computer Motion (merged with Intuitive Surgical) and InTouch Health (acquired by Teladoc Health).