Company

History

da Vinci Surgery is Born


Surgery Evolution

da Vinci SurgeryIn the late 1980s DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) funded several of these institutions to research the possibility of a remote surgery program targeted toward battlefield triage. Similar to the robotic drones (planes) available today and used in foreign conflicts, the idea was to replace human medics with robots and minimize human casualties. It turns out the idea of a robotic medic was flawed due to its vulnerability to tracking devices and changing policies about how and where wounded soldiers are treated.

However, as a result of the funding from DARPA, significant advancements were made toward telepresence at many institutions. For example, SRI was responsible for developing a "telepresence surgery system." The preliminary schematic drawing of this system eventually influenced the da Vinci design. Other notable achievements were the IBM-developed remote center technology and the MIT-developed cable-driven technology for low-friction manipulators which are also used in today’s da Vinci System. 








While clinical studies support the effectiveness of the da Vinci Surgical System when used in minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary. There are no guarantees of outcome. All surgeries involve the risk of major complications. Before you decide on surgery, discuss treatment options with your doctor. Understanding the risks of each treatment can help you make the best decision for your individual situation. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not be appropriate for every individual; it may not be applicable to your condition. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits. Only your doctor can determine whether da Vinci Surgery is appropriate for your situation. The clinical information and opinions, including any inaccuracies expressed in this material by patients or doctor about da Vinci Surgery are not necessarily those of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. and should not be considered as substitute for medical advice provided by your doctor. All persons depicted are models unless otherwise noted. © 2012 Intuitive Surgical. All rights reserved. Intuitive, Intuitive Surgical, da Vinci, da Vinci S, da Vinci Si, Single-Site,  InSite, TilePro and EndoWrist are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intuitive Surgical. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.


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