Products

Intelligent Surgical Unit™ (ISU™)
Asensus Surgical
Surgical AI
Asensus Surgical's Intelligent Surgical Unit™ (ISU™) is an FDA-cleared Augmented Intelligence platform that integrates with the Senhance® Surgical System to provide real-time insights during procedures, identifying anatomy and safety hazards.
TransEnterix Senhance Surgical System
Asensus Surgical, Inc.
Surgical AI
The Asensus Surgical Senhance Surgical System is an AI-powered robotic platform for minimally invasive surgery, featuring haptic feedback, eye-tracking camera control, and reusable instruments to enhance precision, control, and efficiency in various surgical specialties. [1, 5, 9, 14, 15, 21, 22, 26, 30, 43]

See all 2 products →

About Asensus Surgical

Asensus Surgical is a medical device company that focuses on digitizing the interface between surgeons and patients to enhance minimally invasive surgery through digital laparoscopy. The company aims to integrate augmented intelligence, connectivity, and robotics into laparoscopic procedures to address existing clinical, cognitive, and economic challenges in surgery. Their flagship product, the Senhance Surgical System, is noted as the first machine vision system for robotic surgery. It is powered by the Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISU), which enables augmented intelligence, providing capabilities such as automated camera control with smart zoom and instrument-follow features, 3D intraoperative measurement, and digital tagging for improved surgical precision and consistency.

Asensus Surgical’s technology is designed to give physicians an improved view of the surgical landscape during laparoscopic procedures, responding to commands and recognizing objects and locations in the surgical field. The company emphasizes Performance-Guided Surgery, which seeks to unlock clinical intelligence to improve surgical outcomes. They also had a next-generation platform under development called Luna, which was designed as an integrated digital surgery solution with advanced instruments, real-time intraoperative clinical intelligence, and a secure cloud platform utilizing machine learning for clinical insights. However, development of the Luna robotics hardware platform is being wound down by KARL STORZ.

Focus Areas

Robotic Surgery Augmented Intelligence Digital Laparoscopy Performance-Guided Surgery Surgical Robotics Computer Vision Deep Learning Minimally Invasive Surgery

Business Intelligence

TechnologySenhance® Surgical System, LUNA™ Surgical System (in development), Intelligent Surgical Unit™ (ISU™), Augmented Intelligence, Machine Vision, Deep Learning, Digital Laparoscopy

What Physicians Need to Know

Performance-Guided Surgery
Asensus Surgical pioneers Performance-Guided Surgery, an approach that integrates robotics, augmented intelligence, machine vision, and deep learning to enhance surgical outcomes, reduce variability, and improve safety.
Augmented Intelligence (AI)
Unlike traditional AI, Asensus Surgical focuses on augmented intelligence to aid surgeons by providing real-time context, higher precision, consistency, and reduced cognitive fatigue during surgeries.
Digital Laparoscopy
Asensus Surgical's Senhance Surgical System is a digital laparoscopic platform that leverages augmented intelligence, robotic precision, tactile sensing, and eye-tracking camera control for minimally invasive procedures.
Surgical Robotics
Asensus Surgical develops innovative robotic platforms, including the Senhance and the next-generation Luna systems, designed to elevate surgeons' work and provide advanced pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative intelligence.
Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)
The company's technology aims to improve minimally invasive surgery by offering robotic precision, smaller instruments (e.g., 3mm instruments with Senhance), and digital tools that enhance surgeon control and reduce physical strain.
Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISU)
The ISU is a key component of Asensus's systems, providing real-time intraoperative surgical image analytics, machine vision-driven camera control, 3D measurement, and digital tagging to assist surgeons.
Physician Tip

Asensus Surgical's technology, particularly the Senhance and Luna systems with the Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISU), offers physicians enhanced control and precision in minimally invasive surgery. The augmented intelligence features, such as eye-tracking camera control, haptic feedback, and real-time intraoperative digital tools, aim to reduce cognitive fatigue and surgical variability, leading to more consistent and improved patient outcomes. The systems are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing laparoscopic skills while providing robotic benefits. Physicians can benefit from features like digital tagging for critical structures, smart zoom, and 'Go To' and 'Follow Me' camera controls, which improve visualization and efficiency. The upcoming Luna system promises further advancements with dextrous 5mm TrueWrist instruments and a secure cloud platform for clinical insights.

Asensus Surgical has collaborated with Google Cloud to integrate secure cloud data architecture and machine learning technologies to expand the capabilities of its Performance-Guided Surgery framework. They have also partnered with PickNik Robotics for advanced robotic capabilities and are leveraging Nvidia computing hardware and applications for their machine-vision-powered software in the ISU. Asensus Surgical was acquired by Karl Storz in August 2024, which is expected to leverage broader MedTech distribution and co-development opportunities.

Products by Asensus Surgical

2 products in the directory

Intelligent Surgical Unit™ (ISU™)
Asensus Surgical
Surgical AI
Asensus Surgical's Intelligent Surgical Unit™ (ISU™) is an FDA-cleared Augmented Intelligence platform that integrates with the Senhance® Surgical System to provide real-time insights during procedures, identifying anatomy and safety hazards.
TransEnterix Senhance Surgical System
Asensus Surgical, Inc.
Surgical AI
The Asensus Surgical Senhance Surgical System is an AI-powered robotic platform for minimally invasive surgery, featuring haptic feedback, eye-tracking camera control, and reusable instruments to enhance precision, control, and efficiency in various surgical specialties. [1, 5, 9, 14, 15, 21, 22, 26, 30, 43]

What the Web Says

Asensus Surgical receives mixed reviews, with some praising its innovative technology and potential for growth in robotic surgery, while others express concerns about product efficacy, company management, and stock performance. The Senhance Surgical System is noted for its augmented intelligence, haptic feedback, eye-tracking camera control, and 3D visualization, along with the use of small-diameter instruments. However, some surgeons have raised issues regarding the ergonomics and articulation of instruments in earlier models. Employer reviews indicate a mixed sentiment regarding work-life balance, pay, and management, with some employees feeling a lack of mutual respect.

Overall: Mixed

Strengths

  • Augmented intelligence and 3D visualization in the Senhance Surgical System.
  • Haptic feedback and eye-tracking camera control for enhanced surgical precision.
  • Use of 3mm and 5mm instruments, potentially leading to smaller wounds and faster recovery.
  • Open console design allowing for clear communication between surgeon and surgical staff.
  • Potential for long-term growth in the robotic surgery market.
  • Modular robot with an open cockpit appealing to laparoscopic community.

Limitations

  • Concerns about the ergonomics and articulation of instruments in earlier product versions.
  • Some employees report a lack of mutual respect and issues with management.
  • Stock value fluctuations and concerns about profitability.
  • The Luna system's unconstrained controllers and cockpit design might be too early for mainstream adoption and could lead to poor surgeon feedback.
  • The weight of the Luna system's controllers could be an issue for long procedures.
  • Previous product (Senhance) suffered from only having straight instruments for a long time, which is a problem in robotics.

Based on reviews from: YouTube, Indeed.com, Reddit, Medical Device Network

Last updated: 2026-07-19

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Press & Coverage

Asensus Surgical Investor Relations / KARL STORZ
Asensus Surgical Announces Closing of Acquisition by KARL STORZ
Asensus Surgical announced the closing of its merger with the KARL STORZ Group, with KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, Inc. acquiring all outstanding shares for $0.35 per share in cash. As a result, Asensus Surgical became a subsidiary of KARL STORZ and its common stock ceased trading on the NYSE American Exchange.
2024-08
StockTitan
Asensus Surgical Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for Senhance Surgical System in Urology
Asensus Surgical received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Senhance Surgical System in Urology, expanding its indications for use.
2024-07
MarketScreener
Asensus Surgical, Inc. announced that it has received $20 million in funding
Asensus Surgical, Inc. announced it entered into a secured promissory note with KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG for gross proceeds of $20,000,000 on April 3, 2024. The note bears interest at a rate of SOFR plus 10%, compounded monthly.
2024-04
Business North Carolina
Karl Storz offers $95 million for Durham's Asensus Surgical
Karl Storz made a $95 million offer to acquire Asensus Surgical, a Durham-based medical robotics company, for 35 cents per share. This proposal also included up to $20 million in financing to support Asensus' operations during the exclusivity period.
2024-04
StockTitan
Asensus Surgical Announces The Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver, Colorado to Initiate Senhance Surgery Program
Asensus Surgical announced that The Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver, Colorado, will initiate a Senhance Surgery Program.
2024-07
Fierce Biotech
Asensus expands its surgical AI vision with European approval
Asensus Surgical secured a CE mark through the EU's Medical Device Regulation (MDR) for the advanced features of its Intelligent Surgical Unit, expanding its artificial-intelligence-powered options across the EU, Japan, and the U.S.
2023-01
Eur Urol Open Sci.
Safety and efficacy of new multiport surgical robots in urology: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Eur Urol Open Sci. in March 2025 evaluated the safety and efficacy of new multiport surgical robots in urology.
2025-03
MedTech Dive
Karl Storz laying off employees in North Carolina amid robotics strategy shift
Karl Storz is laying off 108 employees at Asensus Surgical's Morrisville, North Carolina headquarters and plans to retire the Asensus brand and the Senhance robot as part of an organizational realignment. The company will also discontinue development activities related to the Luna robotics hardware.
2026-06

Frequently Asked Questions

Asensus Surgical offers the Senhanceu00ae Surgical System, a digital laparoscopic platform that integrates robotic precision, haptic sensing, eye-tracking camera control, and improved ergonomics. Unlike traditional robotic systems, Senhance utilizes augmented intelligence (AI) through its Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISUu2122) to provide real-time clinical insights, machine vision, and deep learning capabilities, aiming to enhance human surgical abilities rather than replace them. It also features 3mm and 5mm reusable instruments, which are smaller than many competing robotic instruments, and an open-platform architecture for integration with existing OR technologies.
Asensus Surgical's Performance-Guided Surgery, powered by the ISU, leverages augmented intelligence to provide real-time digital tools like 3D measurement, digital tagging, and enhanced camera control, which can lead to greater precision and consistency. This approach aims to reduce surgical variability, improve decision-making, and enhance predictability, potentially leading to fewer complications, less pain, and shorter recovery times for patients. The system also improves surgeon ergonomics, which can increase career longevity and reduce fatigue, contributing to overall surgical efficiency.
The Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISU) has received FDA clearance, CE Mark, and PMDA approval for use in robotic surgery, including expanded machine vision capabilities. The Senhance Surgical System is designed with an open-platform architecture, allowing compatibility with existing OR technologies, such as 3DHD and fluorescence vision systems, and standard laparoscopic trocars. This open design facilitates integration into current operating room workflows and leverages existing hospital investments.
Asensus Surgical aims for a responsible per-procedure pricing model similar to traditional laparoscopy, utilizing a full suite of reusable 3mm and 5mm instruments and minimal disposables to help lower procedure costs. While specific acquisition costs can vary, surgical robots like Senhance are estimated to range between $1 million and $1.5 million. The company has also offered operating lease models to reduce upfront capital investment for hospitals, with the expectation of converting to capital leases or purchases if economics are favorable.
Asensus Surgical provides comprehensive training that combines remote learning through the Asensus Surgical Learning Academy with hands-on training at global skill centers. This includes online modules, two-to-three-day on-site courses with dry and wet lab exercises, and proctored first clinical cases to support surgeon credentialing and proficiency. Additionally, the Senhance Connect platform offers secure multi-stream video collaboration for real-time remote mentorship, clinical support, and virtual proctoring.
Asensus Surgical has strategic partnerships, including a collaboration with Google Cloud for secure cloud data architecture and machine learning to expand Performance-Guided Surgery capabilities. They also partnered with NVIDIA to accelerate the development of the ISU's augmented intelligence and with Flex for design and manufacturing services for their next-generation LUNAu2122 Surgical System. The company's long-term vision is to pioneer a new era of Performance-Guided Surgery by digitizing the surgeon-patient interface, unlocking clinical intelligence, and continuously evolving surgical robotics with AI and deep learning to deliver consistently superior outcomes.
Asensus Surgical is positioned in the medical devices industry, focusing on digital innovation, robotics, and augmented intelligence for minimally invasive surgery. The company recently became part of KARL STORZ, a global leader in medical technologies, which marks a new chapter for expanding its mission and uniting expertise. While the company has reported operating at a loss with significant operating expenses due to R&D, the acquisition by KARL STORZ and strategic partnerships aim to enhance its market presence and drive future growth.

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