Robotic technology company iRobot Corp. has invested $6m in US-based telemedicine company InTouch Health, it emerged on Thursday. The funding follows a joint development and licensing agreement signed in July.
The two firms partnered to develop possible healthcare applications for robotic technology, using each company’s respective technology. InTouch Health has been working in robotic telemedicine for ten years, while iRobot has extensive expertise in robotic navigation, mobility and artificial intelligence.
InTouch has now raised about $45.6m since its inception in January 2002. Additional investors include private equity firm Beringea, through its InvestCare Partners fund, venture capital firms Galen Partners, Acacia Venture Partners and Twenty One East Victoria Investments, and Cathedral Pointe Ventures.
Colin Angle, chief executive officer of iRobot, said: "With over 400 hospitals in the US and around the world utilising its remote presence products, InTouch Health is in a very unique position in the healthcare field with its FDA-cleared telemedicine devices. iRobot’s investment in InTouch Health will further align these two leaders, creating a best of breed partnership that will develop robots for remote presence healthcare and assistive technologies for the elderly."