It’s the hottest name in health care, and it’s trying to bring orthopedic surgeon robots to a hospital near you -- it’s MAKO Surgical (Nasdaq: MAKO ) . MAKO’s struggled recently as the company looks for a foothold in this tough economy, particularly as medical device makers are hammered in Europe and prepare for the Affordable Care Act’s medical excise tax in the United States. Competition is heating up for orthopedics, but who does MAKO really compete with? Not all robots are the same. At first glance, it’s easy to toss MAKO in with the other robotic surgical makers. Intuitive Surgical (Nasdaq: ISRG ) currently leads the way in this industry, while lesser players like Hansen Medical (Nasdaq: HNSN ) look to make their own niche in the future.
