Robopsy

Robopsy is a medical device startup, originally founded as an MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) spin-off, that developed a lightweight, patient-mounted robotic system for CT-guided needle biopsies. The system is designed to be a disposable, low-cost telerobotic tool that allows radiologists to remotely orient and insert biopsy needles from a shielded control room, thereby reducing radiation exposure for both patients and clinicians. By mounting directly onto the patient's body, the device naturally compensates for respiratory motion, which significantly improves the accuracy of targeting small lesions in the lungs and other organs. Although the company won the prestigious MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition and received several translational grants, it primarily functioned as a high-profile research and development venture that paved the way for affordable medical robotics.