Brainlab was founded in Munich in 1989 by Stefan Vilsmeier. The first Brainlab product was a mouse-controlled, menu-driven
surgical planning and navigation software, introduced in 1990 at the
University of Vienna and exhibited at the
Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington, D.C. in 1992. In 1993, Brainlab developed a linear accelerator-based system for stereotactic radiosurgery using micromultileaf
collimators. Three years later, Brainlab entered into a partnership with
Varian, Inc., which resulted in a long-term collaboration in the field of radiosurgery. Brainlab expanded into the field of image-guided surgery in 1997 and was the first to develop passive marker technology. In the same year, Brainlab introduced its first shaped-beam radiosurgery system,
Novalis.
Lance Armstrong, a professional cyclist and
testicular cancer survivor, was the spokesperson for the
Novalis brand during the early 2000s. In 2007, the company released
Novalis Tx Radiosurgery, a radiotherapy system jointly created by Brainlab and Varian Medical Systems, Inc. The same year, Brainlab collaborated with
Siemens Medical Solutions to launch an intraoperative CT machine utilizing a rail-mounted scanner. In 2008,
Digital Lightbox was brought to the market, allowing digital patient images to be viewed and adjusted in the operating room.
Digital Lightbox was transformed into
Buzz Digital O.R. in 2012
. In the following years, several Brainlab technologies and products received the
Red Dot Design Award, including the
Kick navigation system, the
Curve technology and the
Airo Mobile Intraoperative CT. In March 2019,
Smith & Nephew announced the acquisition of the orthopaedic joint reconstruction business unit from Brainlab to advance its efforts in robotic surgery. The same year, Brainlab recalled their spine and trauma 3D navigation software (version 1.0) because it could display inaccurate information during a procedure, which could prevent surgeons from accurately navigating surgical tools inside the patient. On September 14, 2022, founder Stefan Vilsmeier and Brainlab VP for R&D Claus Promberger, together with clinical partner Professor Cordula Petersen, MD from the UKE (Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf) in Hamburg, were nominated as one of the three finalists for the
Federal President’s Award for Innovation and Technology (
Deutscher Zukunftspreis) 2022 for the
ExacTrac Dynamic technology, a highly precise radiation treatment for tumors in motion. The prize has been awarded annually by the German Federal President for over 25 years and honours outstanding technical, engineering, scientific as well as software and algorithm-based achievements within Germany. In cooperation with the
City of Munich, Brainlab financed the Munich-Riem memorial site, which commemorates the 1970 terrorist attack at the former
Munich-Riem Airport. Reasons for the commitment included the local proximity of the former airport to the Brainlab company headquarters and the promotion of art in Munich. Brainlab commissioned the artist
Alicja Kwade to design an eight-metre-high sculpture made of steel and bronze for the memorial site. In May 2022, Brainlab acquired MedPhoton GmbH, a robotic imaging solutions developer and manufacturer based in
Austria specialized for image guided radiation therapy and surgery. In 2023, Brainlab ran a course in neurosurgery in Tanzania and donated a surgical navigation system to the
Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute. This engagement is part of the Brainlab Social Program, a corporate social responsibility initiative by Brainlab. == Company Structure ==