I'm thinking about getting an FUE hair transplant, what is the difference between the ARTAS robot and the Neograft?

The ARTAS robotic restoration procedure and the Neograft tool are both methods that help with the extraction of individual follicles in preparation for a transplant (FUE).  It is important to remember that these are both just tools that the surgeon uses to aid in obtaining the follicles.  The ARTAS machine is a robot that uses computer algorithms, cameras, and a sharp punch to separate the follicle from the surrounding skin one by one.  It is controlled by the surgeon who can make small adjustments based on the quality of the grafts that are being extracted.  The benefit of the robot is that it is precise and does not "get tired."  Therefore it is very accurate.  The Neograft is a handheld tool that is manually used to extract the graft from the donor site.  Think of it as a hand held drill.  The accuracy of the tool is completely dependent on the surgeon using it.  If the surgeon extracts the graft at an imprecise angle the Neograft will not correct for it.  Therefore in comparing the two methods, the ARTAS procedure is much more precise and accurate and yields higher quality grafts.

Artas versus Neograft is a common question in hair transplantation.  Neograft is a handheld manual FUE with suction attached to it.  Based on this design there are several flaws in harvesting hairs including human error, suction injury leading to trauma to the harvested hairs and a host of other potential issues.  Artas is a state of the art robotic system used to help eliminate human mistakes by using stereoscopic cameras, computer algorithms, and continual updates.  The Artas can actually detect which hairs are in the anagen phase of growth while it is extraordinarily difficult with the naked eye.  While there a host nuances to hair transplantation, harvesting issues are nearly eliminated with an Artas.  We have abandoned the use of manual FUEs and other devices due to consistently lower hair graft rates.  Even a 10% difference, which seems slight, can make a huge impact on your final result.   

NeoGraft and ARTAS are both just tools. The hair restoration surgeon's skill and artistry is MUCH more important than the tool used to harvest grafts.
There is mention in multiple discussions of the grafts drying out with NeoGraft. In my practice, the graft containers are rotated very frequently and are bathed in liquid throughout the process, so drying out is not a risk. Like with any technique, if it is performed poorly (such as allowing the grafts to dry out), the results will suffer. We do not use the implanting hand piece with our NeoGraft procedures - the grafts are implanted manually.
There is also discussion of there being less pain with ARTAS. I'm not sure what this is referencing, but in my practice, the scalp is completely numb while the grafts are being harvested, so pain is not an issue. I do not think that post-operative pain with various FUE techniques is a concern worth debating as all the FUE techniques are likely to be very similar with respect to post-op pain.
Finally, the ARTAS system does require manual manipulation of the grafts during the extraction and implantation process, similar to Neograft, so this should not be a deciding factor. 
In summary, the big decisions to be made with hair transplant procedures lie in two things: 1. Strip harvest vs. FUE ... and 2. Finding the right hair restoration surgeon for you. Number 2 is the most important and will ultimately be the biggest determining factor in the success of your hair restoration journey.
All the best,

hairguynyc,There are many hand held motorized devices to perform FUE procedures. Neograft is a hand held motorized device that has vacuum to assist in the removal of the cored follicles. Vacuum suction can be a significant risk for drying and desiccation of the harvested grafts. Desiccation can lead to no growth.ARTAS robotic FUE is a state of the art robotic system where a two camera imaging serves as the eyes that scans the donor field accurately determining precise exit angles, density of follicles, and hair density per follicle. The sophisticated algorithms function as the brains and dictate the best approach the selected follicles which are laser targeted for extraction. The robotic arm houses  two needle system that permits the scoring of the follicle with a sharp punch that dissects the follicle to the level of the dermis. The second needle is a blunt needle, this subsequently cores the remainder to the follicle to free it from the scalp.While the Neograft hand held system is completely operator dependent, it is subject to physical tiring of the operator. The ARTAS robot is under the control of the operating surgeon but through an user interface, robots do not fatigue so the extractions are consistently extracted without fatigue of the surgeon no matter whether it is the first or the 2000th graft.Sincerely,Bernardino A. Arocha, MD

The ARTAS Robotic Hair Restoration procedure allows for a truly minimally invasive solution to deliver permanent and incredibly natural looking results. It is also scar-free, and is virtually painless! The Neograft is extracted by hand, therefore can be more painful. The precision of extraction may also be affected when done manually. Hair follicles can be damaged, which will result with no growth. This would only be recommended as a last resort, if a patient is not a candidate for the robotic hair restoration procedure.

I have been at the forefront of the Neograft and ARTAS procedures having adopted them from the get-co. We started Neograft 7 years ago right after approval by the FDA and my ARTAS robot was one of the first in the world. For the difference - if money is not an issue robot is better hands down. It is faster, more precise, robotic site making is preserving more existing hairs etc. However in experienced hands (we have done hundreds of cases ) Neograft is holding ground as comparable procedure. Like I tell my patients - there are automatic and manual cars - both get you where you want but most people pay more to get automatic because of the advantages. Come in for a consult to discuss this in detail. These are just the  machines and at the end it s the doctor and the team that makes the difference

ARTAS is a robot that harvest the graft using computerized sighting and automation. No surgical skill is needed for this. Any doctor with a degree can buy the ARTAS and start harvesting grafts. Transplanting them and having results is another story.Neograft is an instrument a human (doctor) uses to take out the graft using human skills. Surgical skill and hand eye coordination is needed for this.These are just tools available to doctors and not the complete solution in hair transplant surgery.A good doctor can do the FUE without the ARTAS or Neograft. It is just that these tools are well advertised on the Internet and it attracts patients with their technology. Many great doctors perform FUE without the use of ARTAS or Neograft, but they may have them at their disposal as one of their many instruments.

If you are considering FUE, ARTAS is a robotic system that harvests grafts with great precision and accuracy.  Instead of harvesting grafts by hand, the robot does this task and is ideally suited for doing this sort of procedure.  It represents state of the art technology in hair restoration.  Neograft is a machine that assists in harvesting FUE grafts by hand and in my opinion offers little advantage over regular FUE done without the Neograft machine.  

Think of Artas and Neografts as tools to perform FUE. The artas robot uses AI and robotic technology to harvest FUE grafts. The process can be fine tuned by the surgeon during harvesting to improve quality of grafts. The robot is doing the work. It will not get tired or need a break. Neograft is a manual FUE harvesting tool. A neografter or technician will harvest the follicles one by one by hand. Neograft differs from a manual harvesting device due to the addition of suction that facilitates graft extraction from the site. The artas robot provides suction also however does not put enough suction on the pull the graft completely out of the site a process that some surgeons feel may harm the grafts.
In short with Artas a robot is performing the harvesting , with Neograft a technician is harvesting by hand.

With the NeoGraft system, a hand-held device is used to harvest hair follicles from the donor site and transfer them to the area where more hair is desired.  However, there is much room for human error.  The sharp edge dissection used to punch out hairs by hand may damage a healthy graft, so it is no longer useable. Additionally, the suctioning used to extract and transport the grafts into a storage vial may cause them to dry out so that they are no longer viable either. Finally, the entire procedure depends on human eye-hand coordination, thus there is a high degree of human fatigue that may ultimately affect the quality of the results.  This is not the case with physician assisted robotic hair restoration. The robot doesn’t fatigue and sees the grafts 6 times better that the human eye, which further ensures better graft take.
The ARTAS system pairs state-of-the-art image-guidance and intelligent algorithms to identify and select the best hair for harvesting with the appropriate angle of approach in order to ensure consistently healthy, intact grafts. And with the ability to perform up to 1,000 grafts per hour – with greater speed and precision than is possible with surgeon’s hands  – the ARTAS system can deliver results unmatched by its competitors.  

The system also eliminates error and uneven site distribution that can result from manual fatigue. In other words, patients can expect a uniformly harvested donor area that when once healed, will make it virtually impossible to tell where the hairs came from. Lastly, with minimal scarring, patients can confidently wear their hair in any style, long or short without any signs that they had a surgical procedure.