Can a Robot Fix Broken Bones Better Than Surgeons?

Rowan University’s Robossis Alpha, designed for long-bone fracture repair, is moving toward clinical trials

13 Mar 2026

A surgical robot developed at Rowan University is being positioned as a new tool for orthopedic trauma care, with researchers saying it could improve the way surgeons realign fractured long bones in the operating room. The system, called Robossis Alpha, was unveiled on March 6, 2026, and is approaching clinical trials, according to the university and project leaders.

Long-bone fractures, especially those involving the femur, are among the more difficult injuries to treat. Surgeons often must counter strong surrounding muscles to reposition broken bone segments, a process that can require repeated X-rays and considerable physical effort. Researchers involved in the project said that the demands of the procedure can make precision difficult and may contribute to poor healing outcomes in a significant share of cases.

Robossis Alpha was designed to address those challenges. According to Rowan University and Robossis, the robot is built specifically for fracture realignment rather than for the soft-tissue procedures that have dominated much of the surgical robotics market. The compact system combines high-force mechanical capability with imaging software that creates a real-time three-dimensional view of the fracture site. It then calculates a path for alignment and carries out the movement with what its developers described as greater precision, while also reducing the need for fluoroscopic imaging and, with it, radiation exposure for patients and operating-room staff.

The project reflects more than a decade of research led by Mohammad Abedin-Nasab, a biomedical engineering professor at Rowan and the founder of Robossis. The work has received support from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and private investors. Officials said the effort also drew on clinical collaboration from Virtua Health and researchers at Johns Hopkins University, bringing orthopedic and translational expertise to the system’s development.

Still, the technology remains in an early stage. Regulatory submission to the Food and Drug Administration is anticipated within two to three years, according to the project team, and broader adoption would depend on both clearance and clinical performance. Yet the prospect of a robotic platform tailored to the high-force demands of fracture surgery could be consequential for trauma patients, older adults with fragile bones and children with complex injuries. Its results may help define how orthopedic trauma care evolves in the years ahead.