SAN DIEGO– LivsMed has introduced STARK™, a groundbreaking telesurgery-native robotic system, as the company aims to transform global access to advanced surgical care. Developed in partnership with Sovato, the STARK system offers real-time remote robotic surgery capabilities and was recently demonstrated in a feasibility study connecting surgical teams 2,000 miles apart—from Santa Barbara, California, to Chicago, Illinois.
The demonstration, conducted on July 1, featured live remote procedures on porcine models performed by surgical teams from City of Hope’s National Medical Center. The study tested the STARK system’s capabilities in real-world telesurgery conditions and showcased its seamless integration with Sovato’s telepresence platform and workflow tools.
“Democratizing robotic surgery isn’t just about technology—it’s about making it affordable, accessible, and practical for every hospital and every patient, no matter where they are,” said Jung Joo Lee, CEO of LivsMed. “With STARK, we are not only challenging the status quo but also building the foundation for a future where advanced surgical care is truly within reach for all.”
Unlike traditional robotic systems, the compact and highly articulated STARK system—based on LivsMed’s ArtiSential® handheld instruments—features 90° articulation, offering superior dexterity and a smaller footprint suitable for more healthcare settings. It addresses a core limitation of existing robotic platforms: high cost, which often places them out of reach for smaller or under-resourced hospitals.
The wet lab demonstration featured procedures including a cholecystectomy, gastrojejunostomy, and partial liver resection. Surgeons Dr. Yuman Fong, Dr. Yanghee Woo, and Dr. Max Hazeltine praised STARK’s intuitive design and responsiveness, noting its ability to simplify complex tasks even in a remote environment.
“I was thrilled to try out the new robot for the first time, especially in a remote telesurgery setting,” said Dr. Woo. “The needle articulation exceeded my expectations and made continuous suturing far easier. It felt as if the system anticipated my movements.”
Dr. Fong, chair of surgery at City of Hope and president of the Clinical Robotic Surgery Association, emphasized the implications of the successful test. “The future of robotic surgery has a remote workflow,” he said. “We performed robotic surgery across 2,000 miles, and the response time and control were exceptional. It felt natural—like working with an old friend.”
Sovato CEO and co-founder Cynthia Perazzo added, “LivsMed shares our vision to make remote surgery widely accessible and economically sustainable. Our July demonstration showcased how STARK and Sovato’s platform can deliver a seamless surgeon experience regardless of distance.”
With STARK, LivsMed is positioning itself as a disruptor in the robotic surgery field by offering a system that balances performance, remote capabilities, and affordability—an ecosystem designed to make life-saving technology scalable and accessible worldwide.
