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Biotech / Medical : Computer Motion (RBOT) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Volsi Mimir who wrote (726)	5/19/1999 1:07:00 AM
From: Volsi Mimir	Respond to of 793

COMPUTER MOTION ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF HERMES™ ALLIANCE WITH CONMED CORPORATION computermotion.com Electrosurgical Products to be Controlled by Simple Spoken Commands Santa Barbara, Calif., May 17, 1999 - Computer Motion, Inc. (Nasdaq: RBOT), the world leader in medical robotics, announced today that it has formed a strategic alliance with ConMed Corporation (Nasdaq: CNMD)http://www.conmed.com/ for the purposes of integrating Computer Motion's HERMES™ Control Center with ConMed's next-generation of electrosurgical products. HERMES is comprised of user-friendly interfaces and a centralized control unit that networks multiple HERMES-Ready™ devices, which surgeons can directly control using either voice control or a hand-held touch-screen pendant. A leading supplier of electrosurgical products, ConMed joins Computer Motion as a member of the HERMES Alliance, which includes Stryker Corporation, Berchtold Corporation, STERIS Corporation and SKYTRON. Under this latest arrangement, Computer Motion and ConMed will develop the software and hardware necessary to make ConMed's next-generation of electrosurgical products HERMES-Ready. Once the development is completed and FDA clearance is received, ConMed will sell HERMES-Ready electrosurgical products and Computer Motion will sell HERMES software directly to end-users of ConMed's electrosurgical products. ConMed will market HERMES capabilities as a value-added option to its electrosurgical products. According to Robert W. Duggan, Computer Motion's Chairman and CEO, "We are excited to partner with ConMed, an innovative market leader that shares Computer Motion's customer-service focus. We are impressed with ConMed's forward-thinking strategic focus which is reflected in its desire to ensure that its next-generation electrosurgical generators are compatible within the context of the HERMES voice-controlled Intelligent Operating Room™." The addition of ConMed to the HERMES Alliance is another significant step toward the comprehensive and seamless integration of key HERMES-Ready OR devices and moves Computer Motion one step closer to making HERMES the Operating System for the Operating Room. Computer Motion is committed to actively pursuing additional relationships with other leading medical device manufacturers for purposes of economically integrating voice control into their products and further expanding the scope of the HERMES Alliance. John Greathouse, Computer Motion's Vice President of Business Development, said, "The fact that HERMES can be interfaced with such potentially invasive products, such as electrosurgical generators, is testament to the accuracy of HERMES' sophisticated voice recognition software. Unlike most voice recognition systems, HERMES is not comprised of conventional, telephony-based voice recognition algorithms. Its unique architecture was designed by Computer Motion to accommodate the highly demanding safety requirements of the operating room. It is this unique, OR-tested design that enables HERMES to act as the cornerstone of the Intelligent OR." Computer Motion is creating the cornerstone technologies and products for the Intelligent Operating Room. The company develops, manufactures and markets proprietary computer-enhanced and robotic surgical systems which enhance surgeons' capabilities, improve outcomes and reduce costs using computers and robotics. HERMES is the second technology introduced by Computer Motion that the Company believes will form the foundation for the way surgical healthcare will be delivered in the operating room of tomorrow. In addition to HERMES, the Company markets AESOP, a surgical robot capable of positioning an endoscope in response to a surgeon's verbal commands. The Company continues to leverage the core technologies underlying the AESOP family of products to develop the ZEUSTM Robotic Surgical System for new minimally invasive microsurgery procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafting (E-CABGTM). The ZEUS System is under an FDA-approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) study and is CE Marked for commercial sale in the Europe Community. Computer Motion is traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the stock symbol RBOT. The Company's Internet Web site is computermotion.com. ConMed is leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of advanced surgical instruments and systems used in a wide range of surgical procedures. The Company's product offerings include arthroscopic surgery devices, powered surgical instruments, electrosurgery systems used in all types of surgery, and ECG electrodes for heart monitoring in various clinical settings. Headquartered in Utica, New York, the Company's 2,2000 employees distribute its products worldwide from seven manufacturing locations. This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the companies' businesses, products and research and development activities. Actual results may differ materially depending on a number of risk factors, including the risks of competition and competing technologies, duration or suspension of clinical studies, regulatory clearances and approvals and physician, hospital and payor acceptance of the companies' new products. These factors and other risks inherent in the companies' businesses are described from time to time in the companies' Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including their Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998. The companies undertake no obligation to revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Contacts Computer Motion, Inc. Stephen L. Wilson Executive Vice President & CFO (805) 968-9600, ext.155 Holley Malia Corporate Relations Manager (805) 968-9600, ext.179