Human-controlled robot "surgeons" have been assisting doctors in operating rooms since 2000. However, the Single Site "wristed needle driver" that was created by Intuitive Surgical takes robotic precision to a whole new level. That's because its flexible "wrist" allows the instrument tip to move up to 45 degrees in all directions, enabling doctors to operate on organs like the uterus, without making large incisions that result in unsightly scars.
To demonstrate the wristed needle driver's surgical prowess, the company recently released a video of the robot re-stitching fractions of a centimeter thick grape skin, back onto the fruit. To showcase how small the incision would have to be during a real surgery, the procedure was performed through the narrow mouth of a bottle. While the robot is indeed talented, the video does not show the "brains" behind the successful surgery - the human doctor controlling it!
Resources: fastcompany.com, dailymail.co.uk
