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Jordan Guzman
CST 300 Writing Lab
September 11, 2020
Medical Robotics: A Look into a Growing Field

In this era where technology is rapidly advancing and where efficiency is becoming more

valued and increasingly necessary, we are shifting toward using robots to help us with tasks and

work. A variety of industries have implemented the use of robots, such as Amazon whose robots

lift heavy items for stocking. The Medical Robotics industry is one that works toward using

robots to advance healthcare. This growing industry offers many jobs – from designing and

building robots to programming robots – and will require an education and a portfolio of relevant

extracurriculars to be competitive when applying for a career in medical robotics.

Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Computer

Science are college majors that can lead to an engineering career within the Medical Robotics

industry. Even though Computer Science is not engineering, it is a major that can procure a

software engineering position within this industry. Diversity in STEAM Magazine (n.d.) wrote

an article, “The Most In-Demand Engineering Jobs,” where it lists the top eight engineering

professions. Data Science and Machine Learning was rated the number one most in-demand

engineering job. This is a software engineering job. Robots cannot function in a sophisticated

way without the implementation of data visualization and machine learning algorithms. Hence,

computer scientists are the most qualified for this job. Matthews (2018) note the following, for

instance:

While mechanical and electrical engineers focus on the hardware aspects of

robotics, computer scientists work on the programming side. Computer scientists

design what has been called ‘the brain’ of the robots. The brain dictates how the

robot will interpret the world, its movement and its actions.
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The demand for more advanced and sophisticated robots will result in an increasing demand for

computer scientists to program them.

The Medical Robotics industry consists of different segments, each focusing on a

different area of healthcare. These segments were listed in an industry analysis report from

Grand Review Research (2018). The segments consist of surgical robots, rehabilitation robots,

noninvasive radiosurgery robots, hospital and pharmacy robots, and emergency response robotic

systems. Within each segment there are specific applications, such as exoskeletons within the

rehabilitation robotics segment. With so many segments, there is plenty of opportunity for

companies to find their place within the industry – as many already have.

Numerous corporations have become successful within the Medical Robotics industry.

According to MarketWatch (2020), the companies leading the market within the Medical

Robotics industry this year are Mako Surgical Corp, Mazor Robotics, Titan Medical, Inc.,

Renishaw, Hansen Medical, Accuray, Intuitive Surgical, Roche Holding Ag, Agilent

Technologies, Biotek Instruments Inc, Abbot Diagnostics, Siemens Healthcare, IRobot, Stryker

Corporation, Stereotaxis, Baxter International Inc, and Health Robotics.

Considering the many subdivisions within this large industry, the robots are built,

programmed, and applied in a variety of ways to benefit healthcare providers and patients. The

Medical Futurist (2019) wrote an article listing the benefits of using robotics in healthcare. The

following lists only a few of the nine benefits mentioned. Surgical robots, which can be

controlled, can help surgeons attain a greater level of precision in the operating room.

Exoskeletons help the disabled walk on their own. Nanorobots are being worked on to enhance

the delivery of drugs into the body by swimming in blood. Robots can dispense medication in

pharmacies. Hospitals can be disinfected by robots – thus, minimizing risk of infecting hospital
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staff whose job it is to do the disinfecting (this is especially relevant now due to the dangers of

COVID-19). Robots made for companionship can help the elderly to not feel so alone and

remind the elderly to take their medications. These benefits will grow with advancements in

technology.

Roam Robotics is a consumer robotics company that did not make the list of those

leading in industry, but their ingenuity in design of their exoskeleton may one day be used in

healthcare. According to “Roam Robotics” (n.d.), they are currently working on an exoskeleton

that is specifically designed for those “with knee instability and pain, specifically those with

osteoarthritis in the knee.” This company attracted my attention because they are taking a

different approach to exoskeletons. They make the exoskeletons lighter in weight and more

affordable. This approach contrasts heavily with that of their competitors who use materials that

make the exoskeletons heavy and, consequently, expensive.

Roam Robotics was founded in 2013 by Tim Swift – who received a PhD in Mechanical

Engineering from UC Berkley (“Roam Robotics,” n.d.). His experience in working on

exoskeletons began with employment at Esko Bionics where he was among one of three in a

team that invented Esko, the exoskeleton that focused on enhancing mobility in the lower

extremities (“Roam Robotics,” n.d.). Esko was a heavy and unaffordable exoskeleton. In an

interview with CGTN in 2017, Swift recalls seeing people that had not walked for years try out

Esko and have that experience of walking on their own again. However, he became disillusioned

with his employment at Esko Bionics when those people that were finally able to walk realized

that they were not able to afford the exoskeleton and had to be taken back to their wheel chair by

Swift. This inspired him to think of ways to make exoskeletons affordable and lightweight.

Thus, Roam Robotics was created.

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Today, the Roam Robotics leadership team is comprised of Tim Swift, who is CEO;

Nikhil Dhongade, who is the Chief Operating Officer; and Kevin Kemper, who is Vice President

and Technology lead (“Roam Robotics,” n.d.). Dhongade’s credentials consist of an MS from

the University of Massachusetts, an MBA from Duke University, and over ten years of

experience as an executive for large corporations (“Roam Robotics,” n.d.). Kemper’s credentials

consist of an MS from Oregon State University and experience leading robotics teams for

companies such as Meka Robotics and Google (“Roam Robotics,” n.d.).

The ideas and designs of Roam Robotics’ three products were birthed in their

headquarters – and only office – which is in San Francisco. Their first product, the Elevate,

focused on skiers. This allowed them to enter the exoskeleton market and have a functioning

product on which to build off for other applications (“Roam Robotics,” n.d.). The other two

products that are being worked on are the Tactical, which is being made for the military, and the

Accelerate, which is being made for those with knee pain or osteoarthritis (“Roam Robotics,”

n.d.). The Accelerate is the exoskeleton that can be built upon for healthcare purposes.

Roam Robotics has been gaining a reputation since its conception. As written in a

Backbone Media article, Roam Robotics was in TIME magazine’s December 2019 edition 100

Best Inventions where they received “a special mention” (“Roam Robotics Included in TIME’s,”

2020). This article discusses the criteria for selection in this edition of TIME magazine.

“Editors at TIME based their selections on originality, creativity, influence, ambition, and

effectiveness, selecting inventions that change the way we live, work, play, and think about

what’s possible.” (“Roam Robotics Included in TIME’s,” 2020). The lightweight and

affordability of the exoskeleton due to the materials used is what has made Roam Robotics
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reputable. They use nylon for the fabric that wraps around the leg of the user, plastic for the

frame, and air compression for the power (“Roam Robotics,” n.d.).

Roam Robotics is entering the market at a good time. The medical robotics industry “is

projected to reach USD 16.74 billion by 2023 from an estimated USD 6.46 billion in 2018”

(“Medical Robots Market by Product,” n.d.). Many factors are responsible for this growth.

Among them are robot-assisted rehabilitation therapy, more funding for research of medical

robotics, and a demand from patients for minimally invasive surgeries (“Medical Robots Market

by Product,” n.d.). This kind of market growth means a growth in employment opportunities

within the medical robotics industry.

The job of a software engineer within the medical robotics industry will require one to

work closely with the engineers that are designing the hardware and physicality of the robots.

Knowing what behavior is expected of the robot provided the confines of the hardware will

guide the programming process. I aspire to work on the data visualization and machine learning

that will guide the robots. Creating the brain of a technological being that will be used to benefit

healthcare is alluring. However, being able to do so requires team work to build the mind and the

body of the robot.

It will require more than just a degree to enter this industry. Although, a degree is

necessary for working in medical robotics. A college education in computer science will provide

most of the necessary knowledge that is foundational to a software engineering career in medical

robotics. To be able to work on Machine Learning and Data Visualization, the engineer must

have an adequate understanding of linear algebra. Also, a thorough understanding of machine

learning algorithms is essential. Even though a formal education is important, extracurriculars

are also crucial in becoming a competitive applicant.

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To be able to gain employment in this industry, I will finish the Fully Online Computer

Science program at California State University, Monterey Bay – CSUMB for short. The

program is structured in 8-week terms. One class is taken every eight weeks. However, there

will be some terms that consist of two classes in one 8-week term. At the beginning of the

program, students are given their two-year plan that shows which courses will be taken during

which terms. The elective courses are not released until the program nears the term where the

elective course is scheduled to be taken. I will take an elective that will provide the skills and

knowledge that the core classes do not offer but that are relevant in preparing me for work in the

medical robotics industry.

The CSUMB courses that will prepare me most for this industry are CST 338: Software

Design, CST 363: Database Management, CST 334: Operating Systems, CST 370: Algorithms,

CST 383: Introduction to Data Science, CST 329: Reasoning with Logic, and CST 438: Software

Engineering. Algorithms, Reasoning with Logic, Introduction to Data Science, Software Design,

and Software Engineering will provide the knowledge necessary to design and implement the

software that will be used to guide the robot. Operating systems will help with navigating and

understanding – or building – the proprietary operating systems that the robots run on. Database

Management will be of value if working on robots, such as companionship robots, that collect

data to store for future reference.

To enhance the odds of being hired within this industry, I will also focus on

extracurriculars. Internships will be the most important of the extracurriculars. However,

chances of finding employment within a specific industry are greater if one begins with acquiring

internships in that industry. So, I will apply to robotics internships to gain experience with

robotics before I apply for a career in medical robotics.

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Personal projects are also important extracurriculars for gaining experience and for

demonstrating interest outside of school, self-discipline, and motivation to potential employers.

Personal projects that entail learning a new technology while building a project – project-based

learning – will also show employers a capacity for self-learning. For robotics specifically, I will

focus on personal Arduino projects and projects that implement automation of tasks, such as a

web scraper to scour the internet for me in search of data. I will also focus on projects that

require me to use C++ and python, which are two programming languages that are common in

robotics.

Certifications are another extracurricular – albeit not as important as internships and

personal projects. Taking courses for certifications in technologies that are outside of the scope

of a college education will demonstrate a motivation to learn and will provide knowledge and

skills that are not taught in school. If time permits, I will search for a relevant course or two that

will reward me with a certification in a technology that is used in robotics.

Another important aspect to seeking and attaining employment is networking.

Networking is easy to dismiss when one is more focused on acquiring relevant skills for a

desired job. However, having someone vouching for you will make you look more credible to

potential employers and will increase your chances of being hired. LinkedIn is a platform

specifically designed to create a place for working professionals to network. I will use LinkedIn

to network when applying for internships and eventually for a career in the medical robotics

industry.

An important skill for a software engineer, especially within the medical robotics

industry, is attention to detail. With more sophisticated technology, the possibilities of what

robots can do in healthcare expand. However, treading into uncharted territory comes with
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greater, and sometimes frightening, responsibility. The responsibility of the software engineer is

especially daunting in this industry. The consequences of a bug can be fatal to a patient. Extra

care and attention to detail must be taken when writing, testing, and debugging the software that

controls the robot.

Despite the unnerving responsibilities that come with a software engineering career in

medical robotics, it is still very rewarding. The opportunity to work with new technologies to

implement robotics that will revolutionize healthcare and push the boundaries of what is possible

will never allow for a boring day at work. There will always be something new to do or

something to tweak. The pay is also rewarding. The average salary for a software engineer in

medical robotics is approximately $77,000 and it can reach up to $153,000 (Medical Robotics

Salary, n.d.).

When aspiring to enter the industry, the development and execution of a plan will provide

a starting point. For example, find a company that appeals to you most and work toward being

hired there. Working toward attaining employment at a specific company will guide the process

more smoothly. It will determine which technologies are best to focus on to appeal to that

company and which skills they are looking for. Searching the company on LinkedIn will show

the profiles of current employees, so that will present the opportunity for networking with the

right people. It can be overwhelming to navigate the medical robotics industry without direction,

so a plan can help to overcome this. A plan to chart the journey from student to applicant is

instrumental in gaining entry to this industry.

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References

About Us. (n.d.). Roam Robotics. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from

https://www.Roamrobotics.com/aboutus

Benefits of Robotics in Healthcare: Tasks Medical Robots Will Undertake. (2020, March 16).

Medical Futurist. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from https://medicalfuturist.com/robotics-

healthcare/

Global Medical Robotic Systems Market: Industry Report, 2012-2022. (n.d.). Grand View

Research. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/medical-robotic-systems-market

Health. (n.d.). Roam Robotics. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from

https://www.Roamrobotics.com/health

Matthews, K. (2018, January 16). 6 College Majors That Produce the Best Robotics Employees.

Robotiq. https://blog.robotiq.com/5-college-majors-that-produce-the-best-robotics-

employees

Medical Robotics Annual Salary ($77,777 Avg: Sep 2020). (n.d.). Zip Recruiter. Retrieved

September 14, 2020, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Medical-Robotics-Salary

Medical Robotics Market 2020–Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Trends, Market Demand,

Growth, Opportunities and Forecast 2026. (2020, August 20). Market Watch. Retrieved

September 14, 2020, from https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/medical-robotics-

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market-2020global-industry-analysis-size-share-trends-market-demand-growth-

opportunities-and-forecast-2026-2020-08-20

Medical Robots Market. (n.d.). Markets and Markets. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/medical-robotic-systems-market-

2916860.html

The Most In-Demand Engineering Jobs. (2019, August 07). Diversity In STEAM Magazine.

Retrieved September 14, 2020, from https://diversityinsteam.com/2019/07/demand-

engineering-jobs-year/

Press. (n.d.). Roam Robotics. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from

https://www.Roamrobotics.com/press

Roam Robotics Included in TIME's "100 Best Inventions of 2019". (2019, December 17). Roam

Robotics. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from https://www.backbonemedia.net/Roam-

robotics-included-in-times-100-best-inventions-of-2019/