Medical robot patent applications on the rise in Korea

Medical robot patent application on the rise

It has been reported that medical robots, which help diagnose human diseases or operate are actively being developed.

According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office on May 25, the number of medical robot –related patent applications has been on the sharp rise from only 5 each in 1997 and 1999 to 17 in 2000. It has continued to increase year by year to 27 in 2002 and 28 in 2004.

To take a look at those patents reveals that operation robots tops the list, accounting for 60%.
Among the next are automatic examination robots, endoscopy robots and rehabilitation assistant robots, as 19%, 14% and 7%, respectively.

Meanwhile, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information said that the medical robot market would be expanded further. It is expected that 4,720 operation robots and 140 rehab robots for the disabled would be additionally installed by 2006.


Medical robot patent application on the rise - fondation priv�e 'europa korea' private foundation - europe cor�e - europe korea