The Intelligent Woodpecker Robot Has Been Included in Shanghai’s “New and Superior Drugs and Medical Devices” Catalog, Boosting a Paradigm Shift in Orthopedic Surgery

Recently, the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission released the public notice for the seventh edition of the “Shanghai Catalogue of New and Superior Biopharmaceutical Products, Medical Devices, and Instruments.” The “Spinal Surgery Navigation and Localization System” (trade name: Intelligent Woodpecker Miniature Spinal Surgery Robot), independently developed by Zhongou Zhiwei (Shanghai) Robotics Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Huake Run, was successfully included on the list. This milestone underscores once again the product’s authoritative recognition in terms of innovation, clinical value, and market potential.

In early 2024, the Intelligent Woodpecker Robot successfully passed the Special Review for Innovative Medical Devices conducted by the National Medical Products Administration’s Center for Medical Device Technical Review, and in June 2025 it officially obtained the NMPA Class III Innovative Medical Device Registration Certificate. This device integrates “miniature size, high efficiency, precision, and intelligence,” and is fully compatible with a wide range of spinal surgical consumables under Huake Run, providing comprehensive robotic-assisted solutions for diverse surgical scenarios, including spinal internal fixation, interventional procedures, and percutaneous endoscopic surgery.

Micro-

One of the world’s smallest orthopedic surgical robots, this system integrates a navigation module, robotic arm, and control system into a single cart, occupying only 0.32 square meters. This design significantly reduces the footprint required in the operating room and storage areas, while enabling rapid deployment across multiple surgical suites. The robotic arm is palm-sized and weighs as little as 1.63 kg, with simple and quick installation, thereby substantially optimizing the available workspace during surgery.

Efficient

An innovative “range-based positioning + precision localization” model, combined with auxiliary planning features, effectively reduces operative time. Individual pedicle screw placement planning and localization takes only one minute, and the entire system can be assembled and disassembled in just over ten minutes. This streamlined, seamless workflow makes surgical procedures easy to manage.

Precision

The system’s ultra-high-precision positioning capability, with an accuracy of 0.2 mm, and its advanced algorithms further enhance the minimally invasive nature, precision, and success rate of surgery. A fully visualized workflow and dedicated surgical instruments provide comprehensive support throughout the entire procedure, ensuring that every step of the surgical plan is executed with pinpoint accuracy—down to the smallest detail.

Intelligent

Equipped with intelligent algorithms that are highly aligned with clinical surgical workflows, the system can assist in performing extensive planning and predictive tasks, effectively reducing procedural complexity and the need for extensive experiential expertise, thereby significantly shortening the learning curve. At the same time, the intelligent system boasts robust scalability, opening up limitless possibilities for the integration of innovative features and new application scenarios.

This selection represents an authoritative recognition of the Intelligent Woodpecker robot’s technological innovation and clinical value. In response, Huake Run and Sino-European Zhiwei have jointly developed the [Intelligent Digital Ecosystem of Advanced Spinal Surgical Solutions]—known as “Zhilifang® IDEAS³”—to deliver a more comprehensive and superior end-to-end solution for clinical practice. This ecosystem leverages multi-modal image fusion and integrated preoperative/intraoperative planning, supported by real-time C-arm guidance, optical navigation, and robotic positioning, while seamlessly coordinating with the full product and instrument portfolio from Huake Run and its partner brands. It covers a wide range of procedures—from vertebroplasty and spinal endoscopic decompression and fusion to full-spine pedicle screw fixation—enabling全程 visualization, precise execution, and intelligent workflow management throughout the entire surgical process, thereby closing the loop from product offerings to unmet clinical needs.

With the deep integration of digital technologies and the healthcare sector, orthopedic surgery is undergoing a paradigm shift. The Intelligent Woodpecker Robot’s inclusion in the “New Superior Drugs and Medical Devices” catalog marks a significant milestone on its path of innovation. Huake Run and Sino-European Zhiwei will continue to invest heavily in the R&D and innovation of the [Zhilifang® IDEAS³] ecosystem, striving to provide physicians with more comprehensive and cutting-edge intelligent digital surgical solutions. These efforts aim to elevate the standard of spinal surgery, deliver superior clinical outcomes for patients, and contribute to the advancement of Healthy China and global medical technology.