Ariella,
I'm not sure... but let me quote what the article says about RDOC:
Market/product Developing Robodoc, a programmable bone-drilling robot for use in hip- and knee- replacement surgeries. Codeveloped technology with IBM and the University of California at Davis (by the way IBM owns 30% of RDOC). System includes a computer workstation and propreitary sofware for preoperative surgical planning. Robodoc is designed to handle the precise fit and alignment demands of joint-replacement surgery: its bone-drilling technology can be programmed to create a hollow shaft exactly the size of the hip or knee implant. Product was launched in Europe in April 1997; it is being used in several hospitals and clinics in Germany and Austria but awiats U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. Expects to launch product in the United States next year. Also develops a robotic neurosurgery product currently used in France and Japan. Has no direct competitors, although Maquet of Germany has announced plans to offer a product similar to Robodoc.
Finance/strategy Revenues for third quarter 1997 were $1.4 million, compared with $0.7 million for the same quarter of the previous year. Net loss for the quarter was $1.2 million, compared with a net loss of $0.6 million for third quarter 1996. In September acquired privately held Innovative Medical Machines International, a developer of robotics technology for use in neurosurgery. Partners include IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and Depuy Orthopaedie. CEO was appointed in 1995 and previously founded California Biomedical Consultants.
That's the jist of the article... A few sidenotes:
RDOC will move into a newly created facility in Davis this year. It's supposedely state of the art and has space to expand another 30,000 square feet. The company is very closely held and the float is a mere 500,000 shares. The company is extremely inexpensive at current levels and I expect RDOC to skyrocket very soon. |
