Using AI & Robotics for Airway Management with Dimitri Sokolov, CEO of Spiro

I’ve known Dimitri for a while - we worked together back in our Accuryn Medical days - so when I heard he was leading a robotics company taking on the challenges of airway management, I had to bring him on.

In this episode, I sat down with Dimitri Sokolov , CEO of Spiro Robotics , to talk about how they’re reshaping tracheal intubation. Spiro is building the first handheld robotic intubation platform, designed to make difficult airway access safer, faster, and more consistent.

Out of 30 million intubations in the U.S. every year, 20% are considered difficult—and that's exactly where Spiro is focused. Their system combines a robotic endoscope with intuitive controls to help clinicians intubate quickly and confidently, even in high-risk cases. What caught my attention is their Trojan horse strategy: starting with difficult intubations, then expanding across the broader $12B airway management market with video laryngoscopes, bronchoscopes, and more.

We also talked about their successful clinical study in Europe, upcoming FDA 510(k) submission, and how they’re building a cost-competitive device that fits seamlessly into current hospital workflows.

?? Listen to the full episode to hear more about:

• Why difficult intubation remains a major unmet need
• How Spiro’s robotic system improves consistency and clinician control
• Future AI integration for autonomous navigation
• Their commercialization plans and vision for expanding access to airway management

Spiro is backed by clinicians and engineers with experience in critical care, anesthesia, and medical device design—and they’re building a platform that puts simplicity, precision, and affordability at the forefront.

More about Spiro: https://spirorobotics.com

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