From Fly-by-Wire to Retinal Surgery
What aviation teaches us about safety in surgical robotics In 2025, commercial aviation transported more than four billion passengers worldwide. The accident rate? Less than one major accident per several million flights. This level of safety did not emerge by chance. It was the result of a fundamental redesign of control systems. Modern aviation became safer when […]
AcuSurgical raises 6 M€ (5.75M) in a series A Funding
Investment will finance clinical trials and certification for an innovative retinalsurgery robot. Montpellier, France, February 18, 2021 – AcuSurgical, a startup developing a robotic assistant for vitreo-retinal surgery, announces a Series A funding of around 6€ million euros. The round was led by institutional investors Merieux Partners and Supernova Invest, with participations from IRDI-Soridec and […]
AcuSurgical Completes First Clinical Case with Luca™ Robotic Surgery Platform
AcuSurgical announces the completion of its first clinical case, which was successfully and safely performed at Ghent University Hospital in Belgium by Dr. Fanny Nerinckx. Retinal surgeries are among the most delicate and intricate procedures in ophthalmology, requiring an unprecedented level of precision to operate on structures the size of a fraction of a hair. […]
I- Luca®: The Robot That’s Changing the Game in Retinal Surgery
Interview with Christoph Spuhler , Founder of AcuSurgical, who unveils his revolutionary project: Luca®, a surgical robot specifically designed for retinal surgery. With a clear vision of the future of medicine, Christoph explains how robotics can transform surgical practices by providing unprecedented precision, thereby opening new possibilities for patients suffering from retinal diseases. Luca®: Revolutionizing Retinal Surgery […]
II- From Idea to Prototype: The Genesis of Luca® , A Unique Robot for Retinal Surgery
An Ambitious Dream Facing a Medical Challenge It all started in 2016. Christoph Spuhler, an expert in surgical robotics, discovered the challenges of retinal surgery. Working on structures just a few microns in size, where every gesture counts, seemed to him one of the last technological frontiers in surgery [Read article]. Why has no robot […]
III – From Prototype to Startup: The Bold Journey of AcuSurgical
The story of AcuSurgical continues. In a previous articles we talked about what led to the creation of AcuSurgical and the initial stages of the company. After exploring the birth of Luca®, a new turning point was inevitable: transforming an innovative concept into a structured company capable of securing funding and accelerating development to reach, […]
IV- Making History, Together: Behind LUCA®’s First Human Surgery
On a cold morning in Ghent, Belgium, at UZ Ghent Hospital, something remarkable happened. LUCA®, AcuSurgical’s robotic platform for retinal surgery, performed its first human procedure — and it performed it well. For those watching behind the scenes, time seemed to pause — a collective breath held in quiet awe. But for the team who had imagined, […]
V- LUCA®: From First Surgery to a New Era in Retinal Precision
Just over a year ago, LUCA® entered the operating room for the very first time. In February 2024, at UZ Ghent in Gent, Belgium, a historic milestone was reached: seven successful vitrectomy surgeries were performed using the world’s first bi-manual robot for the retina — with zero device-related adverse events. (More on that in our previous […]
Visionary CEO Profile – One Year at the Helm: Ronen Castro’s Vision for the Future of Retinal Surgery
When Ronen Castro reflects on his first year as CEO of AcuSurgical, one theme stands out: bringing a robotic system to market is a constant challenge, where adaptability and resilience remain essential to progress. An experienced leader in medtech, Ronen has spent nearly three decades guiding innovative companies through complex challenges. Much like in sailing, […]
Accelerating the Learning Curve in Retinal Surgery: Training the Next Generation in a Micrometric Field
In retinal surgery, precision is measured in microns.Learning, on the other hand, is often measured in hundreds of procedures. Becoming a retinal surgeon requires years of progressive exposure to clinical cases, repeated practice of highly demanding gestures, and close transmission of expertise across generations. Yet access to complex cases remains uneven, while expectations around patient […]