I have just come across the Sentire® Surgical System, developed by Cornerstone Robotics, a surgical robotics company based in Hong Kong.
Looking at the system, its overall architecture and configuration, it intensely reminds me of the da Vinci® X. It looks remarkably familiar to anyone who has spent time with this Intuitive’s fourth-generation platform built with the third generation cart to reduce costs (remember that da Vinci 5 is available since March 2024).
Of course, resemblance is not the same as equivalence. The real questions are what lies underneath: instrument technology, motion scaling, haptic performance, imaging, software, reliability, ergonomics and, ultimately, clinical performance.
Sentire is not a brand-new prototype, either. The system received NMPA approval in China in September 2024, and has subsequently been used clinically in Hong Kong and expanded into international clinical evaluation. On 25 May 2026, Sentire received CE certification under the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) for minimally invasive surgery in general surgery, gynecology, thoracic surgery and urology. Singapore’s HSA certification followed at the same time.
So this is no longer simply another Chinese robotic platform: Sentire has entered the European market.
I will take a closer look at the system, its technology and, particularly, from a Head & Neck Surgery perspective, how close this very familiar-looking robot really is to the da Vinci X.
J Granell. Aug 24, 2026
