Last year, we reported that the computer-assisted ARTAS system for use in hair transplantation procedures was cleared by the FDA. 
More recently, the manufacturer of the technology, Restoration Robotics (San Jose, CA) has released a case study to the press demonstrating its effectiveness in treating the regular male baldness pattern of a patient named Vincent DeLany.
DeLany was treated by Dr. James A. Harris (naturally) of the Hair Sciences Center in Denver, CO. In a video released by Restoration Robotics, Harris explains that the robotic system is able to exactly determine how hair grows in the donor area and can then map out the locations of the hairs, including the angle of their growth. The system uses this information in conjunction with algorithms to decide which hair is the best to extract.
When compared to conventional hair transplant procedures, Harris says that “the difference is really in how the donor area is treated. Traditionally, hair transplants involve the removal of a strip of skin and then a team of technicians remove the grafts one by one,” he says. “The ARTAS system removes the grafts one at a time directly from the donor area, which is less invasive.” As a result, patients treated with the technology have a relatively quick recovery time.
That was true in DeLany’s case. “Post-procedure was a piece of cake,” he explains. “I was back to work the day following my procedure, and, after about a week, I was completely recovered and you couldn’t even tell that I had the procedure done.”