Ottava

J&J MedTech's Ottava is a soft-tissue general-surgery robotic platform with four arms integrated into the operating table, announced in 2020. It is pre-market: J&J submitted a De Novo request to the FDA in January 2026, and Ottava is not authorized to be marketed. DEPLOY classifies it research tier: J&J's corporate scale does not translate into verified surgical-robotics deployment, because the gating event (FDA clearance) has not occurred. By the framework, Ottava sits at the same research tier as far smaller pre-market entrants. There is no price; it is not sold.

Readiness

Ottava is internal use only (not for retail), no capability claims are on file, 1 verified deployment is on file, and no incidents are on record.

Availability

internal-only

Internal use only (not for retail).

see evidence →

Price honesty

no-price

No price points on file for Ottava.

see evidence →

Capability honesty

no-claims

No reviewed capability claims on file for Ottava.

see evidence →

Real-world use

pilot

Maturity: pilot. 1 verified deployment in the registry.

see evidence →

Safety record

no-incidents

No incidents on record. 1 verified deployment on file.

What it claims to do

No reviewed capability claims on file.

Price

No reviewed price points on file.

Real-world use

• United States2024-01-01

Safety record

No incidents on record. 1 verified deployment on file.

Privacy

No privacy practices disclosed or on file for Ottava.

Specs

arms

four

notes

• Verified (pre-market): Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ; founded 1886, New Brunswick NJ; MedTech/Ethicon division) submitted Ottava to the FDA via a De Novo classification application on Jan 7 2026 for multiple upper-abdomen general-surgery procedures. J&J's own language: Ottava 'is under development and is not authorized to be marketed or sold in any market.' IDE first cases completed early 2025 at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center; a second IDE (inguinal hernia) approved late 2025.
• Maturity = research (FDA gating not cleared): Per the framework, NO clearance = research-tier regardless of corporate scale or demos. Ottava has an active IDE and a pending De Novo submission but no clearance and ZERO installed base / zero approved procedures (IDE-trial cases only).
• Aggregator-drift correction: A secondary source claimed Ottava was 'targeted for commercial launch late 2025 / early 2026.' CONTRADICTED by the primary J&J source (De Novo submitted Jan 7 2026; explicitly not marketable). Do NOT register a launch date. 'Breakthrough device designation' (secondary) is unverified against primary records.
• Adjacent J&J robotics (context, not this entity): Monarch (robotic bronchoscopy, via the 2019 $3.4B Auris acquisition; FDA-cleared; competes with Intuitive Ion) and Velys (robotic knee replacement, FDA-cleared Mar 2021) are separate commercial J&J robotics products.

products

Ottava: J&J MedTech (Ethicon) soft-tissue general-surgery robotic platform, four arms integrated into the operating table; announced 2020. NOT cleared, NOT marketed.

formFactor

surgical (unified-architecture four-arm soft-tissue general-surgery robot; arms integrated into the table)

fda_clearance

not cleared

procedure_types

multiple upper-abdomen general-surgery procedures

What's under the hood

No brain on file for Ottava.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ottava actually available for purchase?

Not available to consumers. In internal use by Johnson & Johnson.Source: J&J submits Ottava to FDA (De Novo, Jan 7 2026; 'not authorized to be marketed')

What does the Ottava cost?

Not announced.

Where is the Ottava being used?

Ottava is in use at: United States (2024-01-01).Source: J&J MedTech Ottava product page

Is the Ottava safe?

No incidents on record across 1 verified deployment.

How does the Ottava handle privacy?

No privacy practices disclosed or on file for Ottava.

Who makes the Ottava?

Ottava is made by Johnson & Johnson, based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.Source: J&J submits Ottava to FDA (De Novo, Jan 7 2026; 'not authorized to be marketed')

Video

Compare side by side

• Ottava vs Hugo RASby Medtronic · surgical

Sources

1. J&J submits Ottava to FDA (De Novo, Jan 7 2026; 'not authorized to be marketed') · https://www.jnj.com/media-center/press-releases/johnson-johnson-submits-ottava-robotic-surgical-system-to-the-u-s-food-and-drug-administration ↗
2. J&J robotics layoffs + Ottava delays (history/context) · https://www.medtechdive.com/news/jnj-layoffs-auris-california-robotic/644544/ ↗
3. J&J takes over Verb Surgical (Ottava lineage) · https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/jj-to-take-over-verb-surgical-its-robotics-venture-verily ↗
4. J&J MedTech Ottava product page · https://www.jnjmedtech.com/en-US/product/ottava ↗
5. J&J Ottava press releases · https://www.jnj.com/tag/ottava ↗