The Memo: Channel Robotics Bringing Robotic Dexterity to Endoscopy Without the Tower

Under the direction of Co-Founder and CEO Philip Weissbrod, MD, Channel Robotics is redefining robotic access in endoscopy. With a handheld, AI-enhanced system that interfaces directly with existing scopes, the company is delivering robotic-grade precision at a fraction of the cost and complexity of traditional robotic platforms. “What Channel ultimately provides is better access, reduced procedure times and waitlists, earlier decisive endoscopic treatment, and a better patient experience for a much wider community than has ever been reached,” said Weissbrod.

Origin Story

The concept behind Channel Robotics was born more than a decade ago, when Weissbrod and his co-founder, Professor Michael Yip, began exploring new ways to make robotic surgery more affordable and accessible. “We developed the idea of creating robotic instruments rather than creating a larger robotic system because we recognized that cost was a major barrier for robotic surgical access,” Weissbrod explained. “By utilizing the mechanics and optics of an endoscope and focusing on putting the robotic technology into the instruments, we could cut costs significantly.”

The pair spent years developing early prototypes in the lab, supported by NIH and institutional funding. But eventually, it became clear that academic research alone was not enough. “If we wanted to realize the objective of making robotic surgery more accessible, we needed to commercialize the device,” said Weissbrod. “As a physician, developing a medical device that actually gets out into the world allows me to have an impact on a much larger population of patients than I could in my role as an individual physician.”

Headquartered in San Diego, Channel Robotics emerged from Yip’s surgical robotics research lab at UC San Diego. The company maintains strong ties to the university’s clinical and engineering ecosystem.

The Current Landscape

Endoscopic procedures are on the rise. A growing and aging population, combined with expanded screening programs, is fueling steady growth in GI interventions like polypectomy and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). “Outside major centers, access gaps persist, so patients often wait longer, face repeat procedures, or escalate to surgery when definitive endoscopic therapy should be possible,” Weissbrod noted.

Despite the clinical need, robotic solutions for endoscopy remain rare. “Today’s status quo is the use of manual instrumentation in endoscopic procedures,” said Weissbrod. “For straightforward cases, this may be sufficient. However, for more complex, larger lesions or lesions that are found far from your entry point, these tools can be difficult to use and limit the success of a procedure.”

While robotic systems are emerging to address these issues, their cost, complexity, and infrastructure requirements limit widespread adoption. “They remain costly, space-intensive, and operationally complex, often requiring large teams and specialized infrastructure, which limits their accessibility,” he said. “In the endoscopic interventional market, particularly within gastroenterology, there has been very limited advancement in functional robotic instrumentation to date.”

Inside the Innovation

Channel Robotics’ solution is a departure from traditional robotic systems. “We’re breaking the mold for surgical robots by bringing robotic-grade dexterity to the existing endoscopy workflow in a handheld package,” Weissbrod said.

The company’s first product combines the Channel ONE™ handheld controller with the EC180™ single-use instrument, which attaches to existing endoscopes and enables independent, robotic control of distal instruments within the scope’s visual field. “Built upon AI-assisted motion control, Channel ONE delivers stable traction and sub-millimeter precision to any instrument, fitting a solo-surgeon workflow without changing rooms, teams, or setup,” said Weissbrod. 

Unlike traditional robotic platforms that require significant capital investment and dedicated space, Channel’s low-footprint, handheld system brings flexibility and affordability to a wide range of care settings. “Channel brings robotic-grade dexterity to the equipment clinicians already use, improving control in tortuous anatomy without the cost and friction of a tower system,” Weissbrod said. “The lower capital footprint allows the technology to be financially accessible to a much wider array of academic and community hospitals as well as ambulatory surgical centers.”

Progress and Milestones

Channel Robotics is currently in the late-prototype and design-stabilization phase, with Phase 1 industrial design completed and preliminary bench and cadaveric testing finalized. “We are moving into DFM and V&V within the next six months,” Weissbrod noted. “We anticipate an FDA 510(k) submission in Q2 next year.”

Other recent milestones include a major mechanical architecture update and a strengthened KOL bench. “Over the past year, Channel Robotics moved from early prototypes to late prototypes to design stabilization,” said Weissbrod.

Looking ahead, the company plans to:

• Finalize design stabilization and DFM
• Transfer to manufacturing partner and qualify suppliers
• Initiate V&V by Q1 2026
• Submit for 510(k) clearance in Q2 2026
• Support early clinical use by Q4 2026

To support these efforts, Channel Robotics is actively raising its $2.5 million Seed round, which will fund final design work, V&V, and initial unit production for early adopter sites. A Series A round is planned for early 2026 to support commercial launch and platform expansion in 2027.

Backed by over seven years of NIH-funded research and a team of world-renowned experts in endoscopy, AI, and surgical robotics, the company believes it is uniquely positioned to lead. “Per unit volume, Channel Robotics packs more state-of-the-art AI and robotics technology into a surgeon’s hand than any other system today,” Weissbrod said.

Join Us at LSI USA ‘26

Weissbrod has been selected to present at LSI USA ‘26 next March 16th–20th in front of hundreds of global medical technology companies. Join us in welcoming him to the event in Dana Point, CA, where he will share the latest updates on Channel Robotics’ technology and development.