Matelaser has introduced Materobot, a six-axis robotic system designed to automate the positioning and delivery of laser therapy while allowing its laser unit to be detached for portable use.
The system combines a robotic arm with trajectory planning, automatic distance calibration and thermal imaging. Its laser source is Matelaser’s X1 Performance Ultra, the commercial version of a device that has received US Food and Drug Administration clearance.
Materobot is designed to operate in two configurations. In robotic mode, the X1 Performance Ultra is integrated with the six-axis arm for hands-free treatment in a clinical setting. The laser unit can also be removed from the robot and operated manually for applications outside the main treatment room or at other locations.
The X1 Performance Ultra provides up to 15 watts of continuous-wave output and uses three wavelengths: 650 nm, 810 nm and 980 nm. Matelaser says the combination is intended to deliver laser energy at different tissue depths.
In robotic operation, the arm can position the laser from multiple angles and move it across a defined treatment area according to programmed trajectories. Users can select circular, linear or matrix scanning patterns based on the area being treated. Automatic distance calibration is intended to maintain the required separation between the laser source and the patient.
Thermal imaging is integrated into the treatment workflow. Before laser delivery, the system generates a thermal map of the treatment area. Surface temperature is then monitored while treatment is underway, with the measurements fed back to the control system.
Based on that thermal data, Materobot can adjust treatment parameters to keep surface temperatures within a selected range. The system also produces comparative thermal images and treatment records after a session.
The approach is intended to automate tasks that are normally performed by a clinician using a handheld laser, including maintaining treatment distance, movement speed, angle and coverage. Clinicians remain responsible for choosing treatment protocols and supervising patients.
“Doctors should not have to choose between robotic automation in the clinic and portability outside the clinic,” said Matelaser founder Dr. Lin Yang. “Materobot integrates both capabilities into one modular platform, increasing the clinical and operational value of a single professional laser system.”
Matelaser is targeting the system at rehabilitation hospitals, physical therapy and pain-management clinics, sports medicine centres, chiropractic practices, sports organisations and healthcare providers operating across multiple locations.
