Robotics in minimally invasive surgery

'Robotics' indicate the master-slave systems which are currently applied to minimally invasive surgery and sometimes are claimed to be used for teleoperation. These systems are characterized by electromechanical tools providing a wrist function within the body, with minimal access by 8-15 mm cannulas. Opposite to conventional minimally invasive surgery, the controlling movements of the master are translated to the tip of the tool without mirroring and variable scaling improving the hand-eye coordination considerably. Only visual feedback of a (stereo) endoscope is used, however. The lack of force feedback in these systems and alternatives to resolve this limitation will be discussed.