MIRA ("miniaturized in vivo robotic assistant") is an investigational robotic-assisted surgical device designed to enable surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgeries in any hospital or surgery center, without the need for a dedicated space or for the infrastructure typically required for other “mainframe†robotic systems.
It's been a long slog to get Virtual Incision Corp. to where it is today.
The Lincoln-based company that makes a minimally invasive surgical robot for abdominal surgeries was founded in 2006 by Dr. Dmitry Oleynikov, who was then a professor of surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Shane Farritor, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
But its beginnings actually go back a few years earlier, to 2001, when the two started working together.
Oleynikov had come to UNMC to help start its surgical robotics program after it became one of the first facilities in the world to start using the DaVinci surgical robot.
Farritor said the two began collaborating shortly thereafter, which eventually led them to form Virtual Incision.
The pair spent years refining and perfecting their invention, the world’s first miniaturized robotic-assisted surgery platform -- called the MIRA Surgical System -- and then several more years testing it.
Now the company is on the cusp of being able to sell its MIRA system commercially, which is leading it to take a big step forward.
Later this month, Virtual Incision plans to move out of its offices at Nebraska Innovation Campus, where it's been based since 2016, and into an office building at 1501 Old Cheney Road.
Virtual Incision will soon move into a new building at 1501 Old Cheney Road as it prepares for possible expansion.
LARRY ROBINSON, Journal Star
The building, which used to be home to a local software company, looks modern and high-tech, befitting a company that's in the medical technology space.
It also has more than twice the amount of space of Virtual Incision's digs at Innovation Campus, giving the company room to grow.
"That's really the impetus for our move," Farritor said. "We're stacked on top of each other at our current location."
The company, which started as just Farritor and Oleynikov, now has about 60 employees, including executives, engineers, salespeople and others.
Virtual Incision up to this point has operated off of government grants and more than $100 million in venture capital, but it's getting close to being able to sell its products commercially.
The company earlier this year finished its Food and Drug Administration Investigational Device Exemption clinical study, which is the last hurdle it has to clear to be able to submit a market authorization request.
Farritor said he expects the FDA's review process to take about 8-10 months.
"So potentially early next year we'll find out if the FDA has approved our device for sale," he said.
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Assuming that happens, Farritor said the company is planning a "very controlled launch" of the device.
"We'll pick a few select sites and people we can work with to be the early adopters of our technology," he said.
While sales may start off small, there is a big potential market.
“Currently, less than 10% of the 90,000 operating rooms in the U.S. are equipped with mainframe RAS (robotic-assisted surgery) systems," John Murphy, president and chief executive officer of Virtual Incision, said in a February news release announcing completion of the FDA study.
Virtual Incision's MIRA Surgical System is the world's first miniaturized robotic-assisted surgery platform. The surgical robot, which is used for abdominal surgeries, is nearing the point where it can be sold commercially. This photo shows an earlier version of the device.
CRAIG CHANDLER, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
And most of the units that are currently used are large systems that can only be used in a single operating room. The advantage of Virtual Incision's robotic system is that it weighs just 2 pounds, meaning it can be used in virtually any operating room.
The company is currently focused on using its system just for colon resection procedures, of which Farritor said there are anywhere from 400,000-600,000 a year in the U.S.
"That in and of itself is a large market," he said.
But it has plans to develop additional robotic surgery systems that could be used for other abdominal surgeries, such as gynecological procedures and hernia repair.
"We kind of have a vision for performing a lot of surgeries in a lot of different domains," he said.
In fact, Virtual Incision announced last month that Oleynikov, who now is chair of the Department of Surgery at Monmouth Medical Center, will transition to a role of chief surgeon, focusing on the research and development of new robotic-assisted surgery technology.
To fill his former role of chief medical officer, the company hired Dr. Piet Hinoul, who has more than 30 years of experience in the health care industry, including working for the surgical subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
Murphy, the company's CEO, called Hinoul, "an accomplished global physician executive with a demonstrated track record of success."
"I am confident Dr. Hinoul’s broad experience with post-market medical affairs activities, in addition to his clinical background in women’s health, will critically boost our ability for future planning and execution in the U.S. and internationally on a variety of indications for MIRA.â€
One fairly unique thing about Virtual Incision is that it not only designs its devices in house, it also manufactures them.
Farritor said that while some of the components come from other places, the devices are built and assembled in Lincoln and will continue to be in the new building.
"That's one of the things we are really excited about, is to build our robots," he said.
"We plan to do that internally all the way into the future."
The Fastest Growing Industry in Every State
The Fastest Growing Industry in Every State
Photo Credit: Pressmaster / Shutterstock
Economic pundits are increasingly predicting that the U.S. is headed toward recession–if the economy is not in one already. remains at historic lows, but over the last year has increased the cost of nearly everything for businesses and consumers alike. With the U.S. Federal Reserve hiking interest rates to slow inflation, most experts slower or negative GDP growth this year.
A potential recession could mark the end of a decade-plus of upward GDP growth. In the Great Recession, GDP bottomed out at $18.4 trillion in the second quarter of 2009. Since then, inflation-adjusted GDP has grown by more than 30% overall to $23.9 trillion, even after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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US GDP recovered quickly following the start of the pandemic
While COVID-19 was unquestionably a severe shock, the pandemic only temporarily disrupted the economy’s overall growth trajectory. The pandemic sent GDP from nearly $23 trillion in adjusted dollars in the first quarter of 2020 to $20.9 trillion in the second. But the economy proved resilient and bounced back quickly. GDP climbed back above $23 trillion by the first quarter of 2021 and topped $24 trillion in the last quarter of the year before falling slightly at the beginning of 2022.
The information sector experienced the greatest change in economic output over the past five years
One factor in the U.S. economy’s strong growth in recent years, even in the wake of the pandemic, has been an explosion of activity in the . Powered by a wave of tech and media startups and continued growth among established players like Apple, Amazon, and Google, the industry has experienced 50% growth over the last five years and now is responsible for $1.3 trillion of GDP annually.
Other sectors that have performed well are those that . These growing fields include management of companies and enterprises (+35.4% real GDP growth), administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (+29.3%), and professional, scientific, and technical services (+27.2%).
Western states saw the largest increase in GDP over the past five years
In light of these industry trends, the states that have seen the largest increases in GDP growth are found mostly in the western United States. Washington (+27.5% real GDP growth), Utah (+25.5%), and California (+22.3%) have large and fast-growing information sectors that have boosted their economy in recent years. Other prospering states like Florida (+17.7%) and Texas (+17%) can credit more of their success to growth in the management industry.
But each state’s economy looks different in terms of growth trajectory and key industries. A total of 48 states have experienced GDP growth over the last five years, and the industries leading that growth vary substantially across locations.
The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’s data. To determine the fastest growing industry in every state, researchers at identified the industry with the greatest change in real GDP between Q4 2016 and Q4 2021. All data was inflation adjusted to Q4 2021 dollars. Only industries with complete data at the state level were considered in this analysis.
Here are the fastest growing industries in every state.
Alabama
Photo Credit: Rob Hainer / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +34.9%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,969,566,123State percentage change in real GDP: +7.1%State total change in real GDP: +$14,185,899,189
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Alaska
Photo Credit: Marcus Biastock / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +11.0%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$47,440,421State percentage change in real GDP: -7.7%State total change in real GDP: -$4,121,371,408
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Arizona
Photo Credit: Mark Skalny / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +55.6%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$8,128,206,352State percentage change in real GDP: +18.6%State total change in real GDP: +$58,344,316,639
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Arkansas
Photo Credit: mnapoli / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +42.4%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$2,788,671,704State percentage change in real GDP: +8.0%State total change in real GDP: +$9,697,380,175
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California
Photo Credit: yhelfman / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +67.5%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$212,601,880,757State percentage change in real GDP: +22.3%State total change in real GDP: +$588,186,359,173
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Colorado
Photo Credit: Nicholas Courtney / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +58.9%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$4,573,814,707State percentage change in real GDP: +15.9%State total change in real GDP: +$55,396,337,332
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Connecticut
Photo Credit: Wendell Guy / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +31.7%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$6,116,053,048State percentage change in real GDP: +3.8%State total change in real GDP: +$10,075,811,564
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Delaware
Photo Credit: Paul Brady Photography / Shutterstock
Industry: Administrative and support and waste management and remediation servicesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +32.9%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$590,153,984State percentage change in real GDP: +5.5%State total change in real GDP: +$3,734,689,511
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Florida
Photo Credit: shamiso chikanga / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +51.5%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$9,485,414,918State percentage change in real GDP: +17.7%State total change in real GDP: +$170,879,789,787
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Georgia
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +70.0%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$8,731,949,408State percentage change in real GDP: +14.1%State total change in real GDP: +$77,870,963,786
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Hawaii
Photo Credit: norinori303 / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +30.7%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$747,520,291State percentage change in real GDP: -1.6%State total change in real GDP: -$1,167,689,544
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Idaho
Photo Credit: Charles Knowles / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +88.8%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$644,024,948State percentage change in real GDP: +22.3%State total change in real GDP: +$15,459,753,358
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Illinois
Photo Credit: Jonathan Siegel / Shutterstock
Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and huntingIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +48.1%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$4,594,076,984State percentage change in real GDP: +4.9%State total change in real GDP: +$40,880,175,161
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Indiana
Photo Credit: Rudy Balasko / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +31.2%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,744,254,456State percentage change in real GDP: +10.8%State total change in real GDP: +$38,618,807,983
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Iowa
Photo Credit: f11photo / Shutterstock
Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and huntingIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +64.0%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$7,986,006,420State percentage change in real GDP: +6.0%State total change in real GDP: +$11,087,954,766
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Kansas
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: Administrative and support and waste management and remediation servicesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +29.4%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,519,670,775State percentage change in real GDP: +5.6%State total change in real GDP: +$9,373,669,067
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Kentucky
Photo Credit: Harold Stiver / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +24.7%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$820,440,222State percentage change in real GDP: +7.3%State total change in real GDP: +$14,340,110,890
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Louisiana
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: Administrative and support and waste management and remediation servicesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +23.4%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,564,684,576State percentage change in real GDP: +0.3%State total change in real GDP: +$854,898,226
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Maine
Photo Credit: KWJPHOTOART / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +82.7%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,137,478,125State percentage change in real GDP: +13.6%State total change in real GDP: +$7,997,168,872
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Maryland
Photo Credit: ESB Professional / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +36.4%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,823,240,937State percentage change in real GDP: +0.1%State total change in real GDP: +$444,192,791
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Massachusetts
Photo Credit: Travellaggio / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +61.9%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$21,405,821,675State percentage change in real GDP: +15.5%State total change in real GDP: +$80,866,626,176
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Michigan
Photo Credit: Sergey Novikov / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +41.3%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,019,827,463State percentage change in real GDP: +6.6%State total change in real GDP: +$32,960,900,791
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Minnesota
Photo Credit: Jon Bilous / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +35.7%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,482,705,228State percentage change in real GDP: +8.2%State total change in real GDP: +$29,372,293,804
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Mississippi
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and huntingIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +33.7%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$943,227,194State percentage change in real GDP: +5.1%State total change in real GDP: +$5,213,835,732
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Missouri
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and huntingIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +57.6%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$2,909,517,380State percentage change in real GDP: +7.4%State total change in real GDP: +$22,193,866,520
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Montana
Photo Credit: Mary Vanier / Shutterstock
Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extractionIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +41.6%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$964,338,788State percentage change in real GDP: +11.0%State total change in real GDP: +$5,156,567,500
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Nebraska
Photo Credit: Jonathannsegal / Shutterstock
Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extractionIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +43.1%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$78,865,150State percentage change in real GDP: +8.3%State total change in real GDP: +$10,177,365,611
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Nevada
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +57.5%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$3,149,388,767State percentage change in real GDP: +13.5%State total change in real GDP: +$20,733,769,266
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New Hampshire
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +189.8%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$2,649,141,054State percentage change in real GDP: +15.5%State total change in real GDP: +$12,415,558,568
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New Jersey
Photo Credit: Mihai Andritoiu / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +37.3%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$12,149,965,009State percentage change in real GDP: +8.3%State total change in real GDP: +$48,318,736,109
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New Mexico
Photo Credit: stellamc / Shutterstock
Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extractionIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +64.6%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$7,113,636,530State percentage change in real GDP: +10.7%State total change in real GDP: +$8,918,192,493
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New York
Photo Credit: Victor Moussa / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +53.2%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$84,349,432,531State percentage change in real GDP: +8.4%State total change in real GDP: +$127,848,537,327
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North Carolina
Photo Credit: Farid Sani / Shutterstock
Industry: Professional, scientific, and technical servicesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +42.4%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$16,001,496,273State percentage change in real GDP: +12.3%State total change in real GDP: +$63,621,608,484
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North Dakota
Photo Credit: Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock
Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extractionIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +57.5%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,422,403,721State percentage change in real GDP: +5.5%State total change in real GDP: +$3,152,664,704
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Ohio
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and huntingIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +65.6%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$2,819,853,771State percentage change in real GDP: +6.8%State total change in real GDP: +$43,141,421,008
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Oklahoma
Photo Credit: Natalia Bratslavsky / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +43.7%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,224,836,445State percentage change in real GDP: +2.9%State total change in real GDP: +$5,897,657,248
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Oregon
Photo Credit: Jon Bilous / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +62.8%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$6,093,485,482State percentage change in real GDP: +14.9%State total change in real GDP: +$31,764,819,793
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Pennsylvania
Photo Credit: AevanStock / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +29.3%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$8,108,429,399State percentage change in real GDP: +6.2%State total change in real GDP: +$46,745,073,039
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Rhode Island
Photo Credit: Richard Cavalleri / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +51.6%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,277,736,761State percentage change in real GDP: +4.8%State total change in real GDP: +$2,677,047,184
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South Carolina
Photo Credit: f11photo / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +70.9%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,267,585,365State percentage change in real GDP: +13.3%State total change in real GDP: +$27,467,397,104
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South Dakota
Photo Credit: Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock
Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extractionIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +44.8%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$91,483,574State percentage change in real GDP: +5.0%State total change in real GDP: +$2,518,467,567
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Tennessee
Photo Credit: Mihai Andritoiu / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +50.2%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$3,723,163,066State percentage change in real GDP: +13.5%State total change in real GDP: +$45,992,942,170
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Texas
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +77.2%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$18,991,820,099State percentage change in real GDP: +17.0%State total change in real GDP: +$303,060,571,800
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Utah
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +75.6%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$7,300,850,263State percentage change in real GDP: +25.5%State total change in real GDP: +$40,975,783,989
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Vermont
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: Administrative and support and waste management and remediation servicesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +30.1%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$275,421,370State percentage change in real GDP: +2.1%State total change in real GDP: +$638,686,384
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Virginia
Photo Credit: John S. Quinn / Shutterstock
Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and huntingIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +40.5%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$925,391,537State percentage change in real GDP: +9.1%State total change in real GDP: +$42,094,698,471
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Washington
Photo Credit: Nick Fox / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +110.4%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$82,197,384,584State percentage change in real GDP: +27.5%State total change in real GDP: +$135,583,267,246
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West Virginia
Photo Credit: Steve Heap / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +42.7%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$347,127,991State percentage change in real GDP: +3.8%State total change in real GDP: +$2,750,695,101
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Wisconsin
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Industry: InformationIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +36.8%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,279,475,803State percentage change in real GDP: +5.3%State total change in real GDP: +$16,855,787,844
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Wyoming
Photo Credit: Jess Kraft / Shutterstock
Industry: Management of companies and enterprisesIndustry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +150.0%Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$213,178,567State percentage change in real GDP: +0.3%State total change in real GDP: +$112,837,830
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Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com .
On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.
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