The clock ticks as the surgeon focuses on his fingers and the scalpel. Every second raises the chance of risk–whether through exposure or even a single wrong move–for temporary or permanent neurological deficits to manifest. However, new technology by the French startup Robeuté may be able to remove this intense pressure and stress from the neurosurgery sector forever. Raising €27 million for the development, this company has created its own rice-sized self-propelled microbot to precisely navigate through the brain.
The company was founded by Bertrand Duplat and Joana Cartocci in 2017 and has since then dedicated itself to advancing microrobotics in the field of medicine. Duplat, who is currently the CEO, has spent 30 years working in the robotics field, having experience at McGill University in Montreal and the European Space Agency. He has also founded a 3D software company, Virtools, which was later acquired by Dassault Systèmes. Duplat found his passion within neurosurgery when his mother was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most common type of malignant brain tumor in adults.
Current neurosurgery relies on tools such as needles, that can operate in straight lines. However, these devices actually increase the probability of altering a patient’s motor or cognitive faculties, and in some cases, certain brain tumors are even considered inoperable. In addition, individual patient characteristics and potential for post-operative neurological deficits may inevitably lead to some degree of brain tissue damage. Robeauté’s microbots aim to address these issues, paving the way for new advances in the neurosurgical field.
To move through the brain, surgeons would create a tiny burr hole around three millimeters wide. The microbots can traverse the course of the brain through alongside the extracellular matrix, moving in curved lines to reach parts of the brain that may be harder to access. The use of artificial intelligence and MRI scans create a clear trajectory to the target region. Arthur André, neurosurgeon, explains to Medscape how onboard ultrasound localization systems lead to accuracy “within half a millimeter.”
“The microbots will be less damaging and invasive than existing tools like neurosurgical needles or electrodes,” Cartocci, Robeauté’s chief operating officer, explains in an interview with The Independent.“The microrobots feature a tiny embarked engine so they can move through the tissue and they are designed to follow a guided path, set by a neurosurgeon and tracked in real time.” This precision can minimize the likelihood of trauma and decrease the risks associated with brain surgery.
Preclinical trials have assessed both the safety and effectiveness of the microbots through conducting experiments on sheep. These trials evaluated the safety of the microbots and found that they were promising enough to advance to clinical testing in 2026.
Despite the remarkable results, Robeauté is a French startup and must wait on approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to launch branches in the US by 2030. According to Eu Startups, its team boasts more than 50 patents over the last eight years. As the company moves towards a global launch, Robeauté aims to redefine neurosurgery by providing tools for more accurate diagnostics, targeted treatments, and improved patient outcomes.
