Program & Investment Overview
The Rowan Innovation Venture Fund is supporting the commercialization of Robossis Alpha, a robotic orthopedic surgery platform developed at Rowan University.
The startup Robossis was founded by Dr. Hamed Abedin-Nasab, who serves as CEO while also leading research as an associate professor of biomedical engineering.
The project has received funding support from:
• National Institutes of Health
• National Science Foundation
• New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology
• New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development
Commercial development is being supported by the Rowan Innovation Venture Fund alongside private investors, including orthopedic surgeons.
The system is expected to pursue regulatory approval within the next two to three years.
Strategic Relevance for GAP Leaders
Medical robotics ventures often require long development cycles due to regulatory requirements, hardware engineering complexity, and clinical validation. University venture funds such as Rowan’s play a critical role in sustaining these innovations through early commercialization phases.
The Robossis Alpha program demonstrates several key translational strategies:
• pairing academic research leadership with startup formation
• leveraging federal research grants to support technology development
• using university venture funds to advance commercialization readiness
• engaging clinicians directly in product design and validation
The Robossis team interviewed more than 250 stakeholders, including trauma surgeons, patients, and hospital executives, to validate the clinical need and guide system design.
Innovation & Technology
Robossis Alpha is designed to assist orthopedic surgeons during trauma procedures by improving surgical precision, workspace flexibility, and guidance.
Key system features include:
• Large surgical workspace enabled by unique robotic arm placement
• Force capabilities more than 10 times greater than existing surgical robots
• Submillimeter real-time bone tracking
• AI-driven surgical positioning guidance
The development team includes a multidisciplinary collaboration of:
• orthopedic surgeons from Virtua Health
• researchers from Johns Hopkins University
• engineering faculty and students from Rowan University
• clinicians and researchers from Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
• the Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
• the Rowan-Virtua School of Translational & Biomedical Engineering
Potential Market Applications
Robossis Alpha – Robotic Orthopedic Surgery Platform
Founder and CEO: Dr. Hamed Abedin-Nasab
The Robossis Alpha platform addresses critical surgical challenges in orthopedic trauma procedures, particularly those requiring precise bone alignment and stabilization.
Market Applications
• Orthopedic trauma surgery robotics: AI-guided robotic assistance to improve surgical precision during fracture repair procedures.
• Image-guided surgical systems: Real-time bone tracking technology enabling more accurate positioning during complex orthopedic interventions.
• Advanced robotic surgical platforms: Next-generation robotics with greater force capability and workspace flexibility for orthopedic and musculoskeletal procedures.
Abedin-Nasab began developing the system after observing complications during pediatric orthopedic surgery.
“The first surgery I observed was a 2-year-old boy with a broken femur,” said Abedin-Nasab. “The patient lost one liter of his blood and there were a lot of complications. After observing that surgery, I said there is a problem and I have to develop something to fix this problem.”
Read the Full Story
https://today.rowan.edu/news/2026/03/introducing-robossis-alpha-breakthrough-orthopedic-surgery.html
Related Topics
medical robotics commercialization, orthopedic surgical robotics, university venture funds, translational biomedical engineering, robotic surgery innovation
