Robotic surgery is a form of surgery utilizing small robotic instruments that can make extremely precise movements. These arms are controlled by an already experienced surgeon using a joystick or VR setup. ^{fig 1} There are small cameras inside the arm the surgeon uses to view all of the work they are doing
(usually in high definition! This allows for a clear and close up view of the work area)^{fig 2}(News-Medical,2021, Clinic,S).

While this technology may seem relatively new, the use of machinery for surgery has actually been hypothesized since as early as 1967, but it wasn’t until the 1980’s when true strides were made in the field of robotic surgery. Hap Paul, DVM, and William Bargar, MD, were two doctors working on a technology that would assist in prosthetic hip replacement. At the same time Brian Davies and John Wickham were developing a urologic robot for prostate surgery.^{fig 3}

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) was very interested in these developments made in the field of robotic surgery because of how advantageous it could be for military surgeons. (George, E. I., Brand, T. C., LaPorta, A., Marescaux, J., & Satava, R. M.,2018). Telesurgery uses these fundamentals laid out by general robotic surgery and takes it one step further by implementing wireless connections across great geographic locations allowing surgeons to perform operations of patients in a completely different location. (News-Medical,2021).
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fig 1

fig 2

fig 3: An image of the PUMA 500,It was one of the first robotic surgery machines!