Time Line

1921       

The word "robot" was created by Czech playwrite Karel Capek in his play "Rossom's Universal Robots". Robot meant "forced labour".

1985       

The first non-laparoscopic robot, Puma 560, was invented; it had improved precision and was first used to perform neurosurgerical biopsies.

1987       

Robots entered the medical field with the first laparocopic surgery (a cholescystecotomy surgery).

1988       

Minimally invasive surgery was used by introducing a camera without creating an opening, first.

1990s     

The Nasa-ames team joined SRI and developed a dexterous telemanipulator for hand surgeries. This technology interested the army because, if used properly, surgery could be done on the battle field without the need of surgeons, although it hadn't yet been approved for army usage.

1996       

Computer assisted surgery was used by inserting a computer interface between the surgeon an patient; the surgeon was then able to analyze his or her actions and transmit it to a remote manipulation device that performed the surgical actions.

2000       

Integrated Surgical Systems (now Intuitive Surgery, Inc.) redesigned the SRI Green Telepresence Surgery system and created the daVinci Surgical System.

2001       

The first sucessful telesurgery was completed between France and the US; it involved operations on a 68 year old woman who recovered quickly and sucesfully.