Carondelet Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tucson recently acquired new GPS-guided surgical robot technology to help surgeons perform complex spinal fusion surgeries.

The computer-guided, robot-assisted platform is the first of its kind in Tucson.

“Robotic guidance is an assistant for the surgeon,” said Dr. Matthew Wilson, a surgeon at CNI. “The robotic arm aligns tools along a planned pathway to place screw implants to stabilize the spine. Navigation is a way for the surgeon to see the tools in relation to a patient’s body on a screen as the tools are being used.”

According to CNI, the system acts “like a car’s GPS navigation system” by following an individualized map based on images of the patient’s anatomy imported into the computerized robot, guiding the robotic arm to specific areas of the spine.

All this helps the surgeon calculate the accurate size and placement of screws and implants during spine surgery.

“Much like a GPS in your car, the surgeon plans the route to place screw implants in the spine and the robotic system helps aligns that pathway to accurately place the screws,” Wilson said. “The surgical tools and implant are visible on the GPS screen throughout the entire procedure.”

CNI is in Arizona investing in state-of-the-art, minimally invasive surgery equipment.

“Minimally invasive surgery combines a surgeon’s understanding of anatomy with x-ray imaging to treat spine conditions using small incisions,” allowing the surgeon to separate the muscles surrounding the spine rather than cut through them, according to CNI.

The GPS-guided system at CNI is approved to place in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.

Common procedure options that may involve pedicle screw placement include:

• Posterior Fusion
• Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
• Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion
• Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion
• Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Carondelet Neurological Institute, part of the Carondelet Health Network, is located at St. Joseph’s Hospital at 350 N. Wilmot Road in Tucson.

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Surgeons at a hospital in the Northwest Valley have officially completed 5,000 robot-assisted surgical procedures.

The achievement represents a significant milestone for Abrazo Arrowhead Campus, which is known for its surgical programs. More than 1,000 of the procedures were completed in 2019.

Doctors who perform minimally invasive surgery use a variety of techniques to operate with less damage to a patient’s body than in typical open surgery.

Robotic surgery takes this process a step further, as computer guidance and magnified, three-dimensional views of the surgical site allow surgeons to operate with improved precision, flexibility and control.

“Continual innovations in minimally invasive surgery have made robot-assisted procedures an option for patients with a wide range of conditions,” said Jeff Patterson, CEO at Abrazo Arrowhead Campus.

He said the pace of such procedures using robot-assisted technology continues to increase.

“The daVinci is often used for gynecology, urology, cancer, hernia repair and other procedures,” Patterson said, referring to the robotic equipment Abrazo uses.

The daVinci uses laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgery technique, to perform surgery through a series of small incisions, tubes and tiny cameras and instruments — all with the goal of creating a quicker, less painful recovery for patients.

“Robotic surgery is the biggest advancement in surgical care in the last two decades,” said Dr. Dennis Scribner, a gynecologic oncology surgeon at Abrazo Arrowhead Campus. “The technology provides the ability for us to perform procedures that have traditionally been done through large incision and now completed with incisions that are less than an inch. This has clearly improved patient care and their quality of life.”

Scriber said Abrazo Arrowhead Campus’s state-of-the-art robotic surgical platforms allow him and his team to offer “excellent care.”

The campus also offers education and training opportunities for surgeons from other hospitals, so they can learn robotic-assisted surgery techniques first-hand.

The hospital is home to Abrazo Health’s General Surgery Residency Program, bringing new surgeons to Glendale who work closely with local physicians  for real-world learning.

“I’m so pleased with the Abrazo Arrowhead Campus, which has supported all of the surgeons in reaching this milestone,” said Dr. Debora Fox-McClary, colorectal surgeon. “The OR staff, nurses and technicians worked nonstop to make this possible, and along with the floor nurses and ancillary staff, have made the Abrazo Arrowhead robotics program the best in the region.”

Robotic surgical technology at Abrazo Arrowhead Campus includes:

• daVinci Surgical System, a robotic surgical system “designed to facilitate complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach” and controlled by a surgeon from a console. Three are in service at Abrazo Arrowhead Campus.
• Navio Surgical System, a robotics-assisted platform that “uses CT-free technology for accurate implant sizing and positioning without the need for rods.” It can be used for partial or total knee replacements.

“Our surgical programs offer a collaborative clinical environment and a focus [on] patient advocacy,” Patterson said. “We are committed to providing quality care and a safe environment for each of our patients.”

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Intel Capital, Intel Corporation’s global investment organization, announced $117 million of investments at the in Phoenix, adding 14 “disruptive” tech startups to its ever-growing portfolio of data-centered companies from around the world.

“At Intel, we’re focused on pushing the boundaries of technology to make amazing experiences possible,” an Intel Capital spokesperson said. “Each of these new portfolio companies is pushing disruptive technologies that advance key areas of focus for Intel.”

New investments continue to signal Intel Corporation’s transition into a data company, shaking up the startups’ respective industries and supporting the advancement of technology intended to improve health, convenience and quality of life for consumers.

“We’ve invested behind new applications of technology, with a shift from manufacturing to service-based solutions, such as smart health care, service robots and AI,” the spokesperson said. “Other investments include IoT, (robotics, drones, connected cars), as well as datacenter hardware and software.”

Intel Capital’s mission is two-fold: create a return on investment for Intel shareholders and support Intel Corporation’s strategic objectives and break ground on new tech.

“Intel has driven disruption for the last 50 years, changing the way we live by making compute ubiquitous,” said Wendell Brooks, president of Intel Capital and senior vice president of Intel Corporation, at the summit. “Intel Capital is continuing that legacy of disruption with these investments. These companies are shifting the way we think about artificial intelligence, communications, manufacturing and health care — areas that will become increasingly essential in coming years as the linchpins of a smarter, more connected society.”

Intel Corporation set up shop in Arizona in 1979, beginning operations in Chandler the following year. Today, the company has more than 10,000 , manufacturing microprocessors that power data centers and hundreds of millions of devices worldwide.

The company’s annual economic impact in Arizona is about $5.3 billion, according to a 2013 study by Arizona State University.

Intel Capital launched the Intel Capital Diversity Initiative in 2015 to provide diverse startups access to Intel Capital’s business development programs, global network, technology expertise and brand capital.

More than 10 percent of the portfolio is now led by entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities, which Intel Capital believes is “an essential part of making the tech industry more inclusive for everyone’s benefit,” the spokesperson said.

In 2018, Intel Capital invested $391 million in 89 companies, 22 percent of which were made in diverse companies. Four companies completed Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and 14 were acquired.

Intel Capital has invested $12.4 billion in 1,544 companies in 57 countries since 1991, and in that time 670 companies in the organization’s portfolio have gone public or participated in a merger.

“In recent years, Intel Capital has typically invested between $300 million to $500 million annually,” the spokesperson said. “At the same time, we’ve been making fewer new investments each year. Making fewer, bigger investments lets us take more meaningful stakes in companies and play a more relevant role in helping them grow and succeed.”

According to Intel Capital, the organization has paid attention to artificial intelligence (AI) for at least five to six years, including machine learning, cognitive computing and more. AI has been one of the most important areas of focus for Intel as the company sets out to “build the future” under its “virtuous cycle of growth” strategy.

This year’s investment recipients comprise a variety of unique new businesses from California, Texas, Canada, the United Kingdom, China and Israel.

“Our continued goal is to leverage the global resources and expertise of the world’s greatest engineering company, and its ecosystem of customers and partners, to help these founders accelerate growth and innovation,” Brooks said.

The 2019 Intel Capital Global Summit invited more than 600 entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and Global 2000 business leaders to spend three days networking and company-building.

Here are Intel Capital’s disruptive startups for 2019:

• (Shanghai, China)
• (Palo Alto, California)
• (Houston, Texas)
• (Palo Alto, California)
• (Cupertino, California)
• (Santa Clara, California)
• (Guildford, United Kingdom)
• (Haifa, Israel)
• (Roseville, California)
• (San Diego, California)
• (Palo Alto, California)
• (Petaluma, California)
• (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
• (Zhuhai, China)

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Discussions about the economy generally touch upon jobs, wages, capital, and other measurements, but they don’t often recognize “innovation.” Arguably the most important metric in assessing an economy’s growth, innovation helps to assess the ways companies are becoming more efficient in their practices. And last year, it reached its highest mark since 2010.

The official measurement of , multifactor productivity, grew 1 percent last year – the fastest growth rate since 2010. Multifactor productivity measures the growth in output after measuring the effect of capital and labor. In other words, without adding more employees or capital, how are firms increasing output?

Productivity is crucial because it improves Americans’ standard of living under all circumstances. This occurs because as firms increase their profit margins through more efficient methods, they are able to increase employee salaries and/or lower prices. Either way, consumers cash in more money than they would with lower productivity.

Arizona Tech Council president and CEO Steven Zylstra highlighted the reasons why productivity has increased at its highest rate in nine years.

“I would attribute a significant amount of that enhanced productivity to technology,” Zylstra said. “I think all sorts of technologies are being used to streamline making things more productive than they historically could have been. I think that’s just going to increase significantly as we move into an era of AI and machine learning because so much will be able to be done with so little.”

Between 2000 and 2007, the U.S. experienced, on average, a 1.4 percent growth rate in productivity, which is much higher than the 1 percent growth rate last year. However, economic skeptics shouldn’t forecast an economic slowdown. Zylstra points out that this period followed the dot-com boom; because the internet was arguably the greatest technological advancement of all time, comparing the two growth rates isn’t a reasonable assessment.

With the rise of smartphones, robotics, and information technology, Zylstra believes we are well-positioned to ride this productivity wave moving forward. In fact, some of this growth even , which ranks in the top third of US states for innovation.

“Here in Phoenix, we’re in the process of outfitting the most significant chip processing plant on the planet,” he said. “It’s going to produce semiconductors with seven nanometer feature sizes. The amount of capability that we’re able to put in people’s hands is mind-boggling. I think robotics and automation, software and IT, and the massive processing power have been some of the main drivers in enhancing our productivity.”

U.S. productivity is in its best position since 2010, and the economy will react accordingly. With the development of more efficient technologies and practices, everybody wins.

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