CORI Surgical System (RI.KNEE ROBOTICS Software)

by Smith+Nephew  · Based in United Kingdom →Smarter,* more efficient** handheld robotics system.
Orthopedics

$0.6-1.2 million
Regulatory Status Disclosed

Overview

The CORI Surgical System is an advanced handheld robotic platform developed by Smith & Nephew, designed to enhance precision and efficiency in orthopedic surgery. This innovative system integrates AI-driven software, specifically RI.KNEE ROBOTICS and RI.HIP NAVIGATION, to provide surgeons with sophisticated tools for personalized surgical planning and real-time intra-operative guidance during knee and hip arthroplasty procedures.

At its core, CORI leverages artificial intelligence for several critical functions. It enables personalized planning, allowing surgeons to tailor surgical approaches to individual patient anatomy and needs. The system features image-agnostic smart mapping, which means it can generate detailed 3D models of the joint without requiring pre-operative CT scans, streamlining the workflow and potentially reducing patient radiation exposure. During surgery, it provides real-time feedback and guidance, helping surgeons execute plans with high accuracy.

For physicians, the CORI Surgical System offers the potential for improved surgical outcomes through enhanced precision and reduced variability. Its handheld design provides tactile feedback and control, allowing surgeons to maintain their preferred surgical technique while benefiting from robotic assistance. This combination of surgeon skill and AI-powered guidance aims to optimize implant positioning and soft tissue balance, critical factors in long-term patient satisfaction and joint function.

The system is cleared by the FDA, signifying its safety and efficacy for clinical use in the United States. It represents a significant advancement in robotic-assisted orthopedic surgery, providing a versatile and intelligent tool for modern orthopedic practices seeking to offer state-of-the-art care in joint replacement.

Reviewed by Pouyan Golshani, MD — Interventional Radiologist

Key Features

  • Handheld robotic platform
  • AI-driven software (RI.KNEE, RI.HIP)
  • Personalized surgical planning
  • Image-agnostic smart mapping
  • Real-time intra-operative guidance
  • Total knee arthroplasty support
  • Partial knee arthroplasty support
  • Total hip arthroplasty support
  • Enhanced surgical precision
  • Reduced surgical variability

Use Cases

  • Total knee arthroplasty
  • Partial knee arthroplasty
  • Total hip arthroplasty
  • Personalized joint replacement planning
  • Intra-operative surgical guidance

What Physicians Need to Know

Surgical Planning Capabilities
The CORI Surgical System enables real-time, patient-specific planning for total, partial, and revision knee arthroplasty without the need for pre-operative CT scans. Surgeons can virtually plan implant sizing and positioning, and set preferences for initial implant starting positions, personalized to the patient's deformity. The system also provides AI-powered reference values as guidance for planning.
Intraoperative Guidance
The system offers real-time 3D visualization and intraoperative guidance, allowing surgeons to make immediate adjustments to the surgical plan based on live data. It features handheld robotic sculpting for precise bone removal with proprioceptive haptic feedback, ensuring accuracy within sub-millimeter precision. Real-time feedback transmits precise information about the knee over 300 times per second, ensuring proper joint balance and accurate implant positioning.
3D Reconstruction Quality
The CORI System utilizes image-agnostic smart mapping to register 3D models of the joint during surgery, eliminating the need for pre-operative CT or MRI scans and reducing radiation exposure. This real-time 3D model generation provides detailed visualization of the patient's unique knee anatomy, including bony defects, and allows for real-time gap assessment and soft tissue balancing.
Robotic Surgery Integration
As a handheld robotic solution, the CORI Surgical System integrates robotic assistance with the surgeon's skill and decision-making. The robotic handpiece guides the surgeon to precisely execute planned bone resections and implant placements. It is designed to be surgeon-controlled, reinforcing rather than replacing decision-making.
Surgical Navigation Accuracy
The system is designed to improve the accuracy and precision of bone preparation and implant positioning, aiming for optimal alignment and balance. It provides real-time feedback to ensure surgeons stay within planned resection boundaries, contributing to better accuracy in the replacement procedure. Studies suggest improved accuracy of implant placement compared to conventional instrumentation.
Pre-Operative Assessment
The CORI System facilitates patient-specific planning without requiring pre-operative CT scans, instead gathering anatomical data intraoperatively to create a personalized surgical plan. Smith+Nephew also offers CORIOGRAPH Pre-Operative Planning and Modeling Services, which can include image-based or image-free registration, allowing surgeons to choose the imaging modality.
Operating Room Workflow Integration
The CORI Surgical System is compact and portable, designed for seamless integration into the OR with a small footprint. It offers an efficient workflow by eliminating the need for pre-operative CT scans, potentially streamlining the pre-surgical process and reducing preparation time. The system also features enhanced workflow with fewer steps and automatic landmark capture, reducing data point collection requirements.
Physician Tip

Leverage the CORI System's real-time 3D modeling and AI-powered guidance for highly personalized surgical plans, eliminating the need for pre-operative CT scans and reducing patient radiation exposure. Utilize the handheld robotic precision with haptic feedback for accurate bone resections and implant placement, allowing for immediate intraoperative adjustments to optimize alignment and soft tissue balance. The system's compact design and efficient workflow can streamline OR procedures, making it a versatile tool for various knee arthroplasty indications, including revision surgeries. Consider using the CORI Virtual Planner for familiarization and practice with surgical planning.

The CORI Surgical System is a self-contained platform for knee and hip arthroplasty, integrating its handheld robotics with Real Intelligence software for planning and guidance. It is compatible with Smith+Nephew's total, partial, and revision knee systems, including cemented and cementless primary knee implant technology, and also supports total hip arthroplasty. The system's RI.KNEE ROBOTICS software is complemented by RI.HIP NAVIGATION for hip procedures. While it emphasizes image-free intraoperative mapping, Smith+Nephew also offers CORIOGRAPH Pre-Operative Planning and Modeling Services, which can include image-based registration, providing flexibility in imaging modalities. The system also integrates with the CORI Digital Tensioner for pre-cut tensioning.

Details

Category Surgical AI
Pricing $0.6-1.2 million
  • The average cost of an orthopedic robotic system varies from $554,000 to over $1 million
  • Annual service costs are around 10 per cent of the system
  • Subscription-based pricing models could replace upfront fees in the future
DeploymentOn-premise (surgical system in operating room). A virtual planner is available online.
LanguagesEnglish
TrainingUnknown
Target SizeIdeal for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and outpatient surgery.
Compliance
BAA AvailableUnknown AI-estimated
HIPAA Compliant Yes AI-estimated
FDA Status 1 AI-estimated

The CORI Surgical System received 510K clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human use in February 2020 for total and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty applications. RI.HIP NAVIGATION, for total hip arthroplasty, received 510(k) clearance in January 2022. CORIOGRAPH Pre-Op Planning and Modeling Services for total hip arthroplasty was cleared by the FDA in December 2024. The CORIOGRAPH Knee Pre-Op Plan also received FDA clearance in March 2024.

Integrations
EHR Not specified
Specialties Orthopedics

Social Proof

Customersunknown
Notable
unknown

Support & Reliability

Training ProvidedUnknown

What the Web Says

The CORI Surgical System with RI.KNEE ROBOTICS Software is a handheld, robotic-assisted platform for knee and hip arthroplasty, designed to enhance precision and efficiency in surgical procedures. It allows surgeons to create personalized 3D digital models of the patient's joint intraoperatively, eliminating the need for preoperative CT scans or MRIs. The system is praised by physicians for its accuracy in implant positioning, real-time planning capabilities, and its versatility in handling total, partial, and revision knee surgeries.

Overall: Positive

Strengths

  • Image-free system, eliminating the need for preoperative CT scans or MRIs, which reduces radiation exposure and associated costs.
  • Capable of performing both total and partial knee replacements, and is the only robotic knee system approved by the FDA for revision knee surgery in the US.
  • Offers real-time planning and dynamic assessment of knee kinematics during surgery, allowing for personalized and precise implant placement and soft tissue balancing.
  • Handheld design provides surgeons with direct control and haptic feedback, enhancing procedural safety and maintaining surgeon control.
  • Demonstrated to reduce osteotomy time, total operative time, and intraoperative blood loss, leading to less early postoperative pain, better knee function, and higher range of motion at 3 days postoperatively compared to navigation systems.
  • Portable with a small operating room footprint, making it ideal for outpatient surgery centers.

Limitations

  • The handheld nature may introduce a greater degree of operator-dependent variability compared to systems with rigid robotic arms.
  • Some Reddit users suggest that while robotic assistance provides more accurate implant placement, the long-term functional outcomes for patients may not be significantly different from traditional surgery, and the body is adaptable to minor misalignments.
  • One Reddit user mentioned that the CORI robot is more of a navigated bur than a traditional robot.
  • The system has a premium enterprise segment price point of approximately $750,000, which may be a significant investment for some facilities.
  • One physician initially found robotic-assisted surgery to have increased surgical time and slow workflow, though noted the latest CORI robot is a significant step forward in data acquisition speed.
  • Some studies suggest that while robotic systems improve radiological alignment, there is no clear improvement in function or outcome measurements.

Based on reviews from: Smith+Nephew USA, Dr. Anthony Spriggins, Robotomated, Becker's Spine Review, OrthoCenter, Reddit, PMC (PubMed Central), Dr Jonathan Negus, Dr. Goksel Dikmen YouTube Channel, Mr. Shakir Hussain (Personal Website), Facebook

Last updated: 2026-08-27

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Press & Coverage

Smith+Nephew News Release
Smith+Nephew helps personalize total knee arthroplasty with new RI.KNEE ROBOTICS software for the CORI Surgical System
Smith+Nephew announced the launch of new RI.KNEE ROBOTICS software for its CORI Surgical System, designed to personalize total knee arthroplasty procedures. This software aims to improve surgical outcomes by allowing surgeons to tailor the procedure to individual patient anatomy and needs.
2022-03
Smith+Nephew News Release
Smith+Nephew showcases CORI Surgical System advancements at AAOS 2023
Smith+Nephew highlighted the latest advancements of its CORI Surgical System, including updates to the RI.KNEE ROBOTICS software, at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2023 Annual Meeting. The presentation focused on the system's ability to enhance surgical precision and efficiency in knee replacement surgeries.
2023-03
Fierce Biotech
Smith+Nephew's CORI Surgical System with RI.KNEE ROBOTICS Software Receives FDA Clearance
Smith+Nephew's CORI Surgical System, featuring the RI.KNEE ROBOTICS Software, has received FDA clearance, paving the way for its broader adoption in the US market. This regulatory approval signifies the system's compliance with safety and effectiveness standards for robotic-assisted knee surgeries.
2022-02
The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty using the CORI Surgical System: early clinical outcomes
This peer-reviewed article presents early clinical outcomes of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty performed using the CORI Surgical System. The study evaluates the system's effectiveness in achieving accurate implant placement and improving patient recovery.
2023-01
Healio Orthopedics
The Role of Robotics in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Review of the CORI Surgical System
This review article discusses the role of robotic technology in total knee arthroplasty, with a specific focus on the CORI Surgical System. It examines the benefits and challenges of using the system, as well as its potential impact on surgical practice.
2023-05
Medical Device Network
Smith+Nephew's CORI Surgical System Expands Global Footprint
Smith+Nephew announced the expansion of the CORI Surgical System's global footprint, indicating increased adoption and availability of the robotic platform in international markets. This expansion reflects the growing demand for advanced surgical technologies worldwide.
2023-07
Ortho.tv
Surgeons Share Experiences with CORI Surgical System for Personalized Knee Replacement
This article features testimonials from surgeons who have utilized the CORI Surgical System for personalized knee replacement procedures. They share their experiences regarding the system's ease of use, precision, and positive impact on patient outcomes.
2023-09

Videos

Product demos, reviews, and walkthroughs for CORI Surgical System (RI.KNEE ROBOTICS Software).

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Frequently Asked Questions

The RI.KNEE ROBOTICS Software utilizes image-free smart mapping to create real-time 3D models of the patient's knee anatomy during surgery, enabling highly personalized surgical planning. This allows surgeons to precisely plan implant sizing and positioning, execute accurate bone cuts with handheld robotic assistance, and receive real-time feedback for optimal alignment and balance.
The CORI Surgical System received 510k clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2020 for human use. While specific data privacy protocols would be governed by institutional policies, the system's Real Intelligence ecosystem includes RI.INSIGHTS, a global data management platform designed to collect anonymized intra-operative data to optimize surgical planning and improve patient outcomes.
The CORI system is distinguished by its handheld robotic design and its ability to perform image-free intraoperative mapping, eliminating the need for pre-operative CT scans and reducing patient radiation exposure, though it now also offers image-based planning. It is also noted for its portability and smaller footprint compared to some other systems like Mako (Stryker) and ROSA (Zimmer Biomet).
While specific pricing is not publicly disclosed, the CORI Surgical System has been described as one of the more affordable robotic systems on the market. Hospitals and surgical centers should anticipate costs for the initial system acquisition, ongoing software licenses, maintenance, and specialized training for surgical staff. Refurbished options may also be available as a cost-effective alternative.
While generally safe, potential limitations include a learning curve for surgeons, though some studies suggest it is short for imageless systems. Reported complications from early cases are rare, including minor instances of robotic system software malfunction, periprosthetic fracture, and pin tract infection. It is important to remember that the system is an assistive tool, and surgical judgment remains paramount.
Yes, the CORI Surgical System with RI.KNEE ROBOTICS software is indicated for revision knee arthroplasty, being the first robotic-assisted platform in the US with this indication. Its image-free registration allows for real-time 3D modeling of implant surfaces and visualization of bony defects, which is crucial for personalized planning and restoring the joint line in complex revision cases.

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Suggest an Edit → | Last Verified: 2026-05-27 | First Added: 2026-05-27
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