Google teams up with Johnson & Johnson for robotic surgery

US health care giant Johnson & Johnson announced plans Friday to collaborate with Google on surgical robotics.US health careThe two companies said in a statement they would work "to create an innovative robotic-assisted surgical platform capable of integrating advanced technologies with the goal of improving health care delivery in the operating room."The firms said they would seek to improve techniques for robotic-assisted surgery -- a minimally invasive procedure that uses technology to give surgeons greater control, access and accuracy.In a press release, Johnson and Johnson said that 'robotic-assisted surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery that uses technology to give surgeons greater control, access and accuracy during the surgical procedure while benefitting patients by minimizing trauma and scarring'. It also ensures accelerated post-surgical healing."The companies seek to develop new robotic tools and capabilities for surgeons and operating room professionals that integrate best-in-class medical device technology with leading-edge robotic systems, imaging and data analytics," the statement said.Robotics has been used to improve accuracy in operating rooms for around 15 years, including in heart, eye and prostate surgery.“For more than 60 years, Ethicon has developed products and technologies that have transformed the way surgery is done,” said Gary Pruden, Worldwide Chairman, Global Surgery Group, Johnson & Johnson. “This collaboration with Google is another important step in our commitment to advancing surgical care, and together, we aim to put the best science, technology and surgical know-how in the hands of medical teams around the world.”With inputs from AFP