In 1983, the first surgical robot, Arthrobot, was used to accurately align a patient’s leg during an orthopedic surgery. In 1985, the PUMA 560 robot assisted in a brain biopsy providing precise tissue sampling. The da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system by Intuitive Surgical debuted in 1998, and received FDA approval in 2000 for laparoscopic surgery. In 2014, the da Vinci Xi was the new system’s advanced version enhancing flexibility, imaging, and instrument control. And in 2023, da Vinci added transoral procedures to its list, all which minimize recovery times through less invasive surgeries. The da Vinci 5 added tactile feedback for the surgeon to “feel” the tools move along soft tissue during surgery, which Intuitive calls Force Feedback technology. It received FDA 510(k) clearance in March of 2024.

Medtronic’s Hugo RAS system entered the market in June of 2021 via a prostate surgery in Santiago, Chile. It received the CE approval mark for use in urologic and gynecologic procedures in Europe in October of 2021, and received approvals in Canada and Australia in 2021, and in Japan in 2022. In the U.S., it was still pending an FDA approval as of February of 2025.

And there’s Stryker’s Mako, which currently specializes in joint replacements. The latest entry after recently completing trials is Johnson & Johnson’s OTTAVA RAS System, which is a multi-specialty soft-tissue surgical robot. It received IDE approval from the FDA in late 2024 for clinical trials, and completed its first set of trials shortly before April 14, 2025. Medical robotic experts believe the “surgical robotic wars” will eventually come down to a shortlist of industry leaders. Already the industry has seen robotic companies merging since the 1990s.

While the number of robot-assisted surgeries is growing (human surgeons manipulating robotic tools through a control panel with a joystick, gloves, or other devices), the current list of surgeries is impressive: Urological (prostate, kidney), Gynecological (hysterectomy, myomectomy), Cardiac (coronary artery bypass grafting, mitral valve repair), Orthopedic (knee/hip replacements, spinal injuries), Neurosurgeries (tumor resection, spinal surgery), Thoracic (lung), Transplant (organs), and General Surgery (cholecystectomy, gallbladder removal, hernia repair, appendectomy, gastrectomy, pancreatectomy, colectomy, and bariatric surgeries), and others.

Advantages of RAS systems:

• Precise, minute incisions without human movement such as hand tremors on a scalpel or other instruments.
• Robotic surgery is less invasive, leading to smaller incisions, less blood loss, reduced pain, and quicker recovery times.
• High-definition 3-D imaging allowing surgeons and doctors to obtain an optimal view of the surgical site.
• Many RAS systems have “feel,” offering haptic feedback for surgeons.

How do Robots Really Feel?

While medical robots may not have a sense of humor, some models offer a sense of touch, which will likely be a standard feature moving forward. The robotic lingo for sense of touch is haptic, i.e., having a “sense of feel.” Haptic RAS systems provide surgeons with tactile feedback as the surgeon feels resistance using robotic tools which is measured in force (Newtons), and provides surgeons with the sensations of cutting or pulling soft tissue in 2- and 3-D views. This feeling of “texture” and “stiffness” allows the surgeon to measure and adjust the gripping force of the robotic controls. What’s trending now is glovelike controllers which allow tactile feedback to the surgeon’s fingertips, purportedly reducing grasping force by as much as 50% in soft-tissue manipulation.

Market and Trends

• The surgical robotics market was valued at $6.2 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow 12% by 2030.
• Emerging trends include AI integration for real-time decision support, haptic feedback improvements, and smaller, more affordable systems to democratize access.
• Recent developments (e.g., Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci 5, FDA-cleared in 2024) focus on enhanced analytics, better ergonomics, and broader procedure compatibility.

Industrial Robots

Conversely, industrial robots have a three-decade head start on their medical counterparts. In 1954, George Devol developed Unimate, a rudimentary robot which handled hot metal parts on a General Motors assembly line. As of September of 2024, there was a 10% percent global increase in the number of industrial robots in factories from 2023. Seventy percent of that increase came from Asia, 17% from Europe, and 10% from the Americas—the estimate of robots in factories worldwide is 4.3 million units. The top four robot installations per country in 2023 were China, Japan, the U.S., and South Korea.

In 2023, the U.S. demand for robots in the automotive industry fell slightly, but gained in the metals and machine industry where the number of units rose 8%. Electronics and electrical industries were up 1%. With trillions of manufacturing dollars pouring into the 2025 U.S. economy, look for many U.S. sectors to increase robotic automation. Also, look for the U.S. to surpass Japan and catch up with China for the most industrial robots by 2030.

As opposed to the medical robot, the industrial robot is built for speed, strength, and repetitive tasks to endure high-volume production throughout each working day, tasks that may include assembly, welding, painting, material handling, and packaging. Currently, General Motors accounts for 12% of all the industrial robots in the U.S. As of 2018, the global industrial robot market share by industry is Automotive (30%), Electrical/Electronics (25%), Metals and Machinery (10%), Rubber and Plastics (5%), and Food production/service (5%). Industrial robots come in many types depending on their role:

• Articulated robots somewhat mimic a human arm with multiple degrees of freedom, which is vital in assembling, painting, or welding.
• Cartesian robots contain three prismatic joints and are often referred to as gantry robots.
• Cylindrical robots have a rotational joint at the base and at least one prismatic joint—these are excellent to use in tight spaces.
• Spherical robots have rotary joints only, and are often found in injection molding, die-casting, and welding.
• SCARA (selective compliance assembly robot arm) are used in assemblies requiring precise lateral movements and have two parallel joints for X-Y axis, or X-Y-Z.
• Delta Robots are robots in a parallel link. These are high-speed pick-and-place robots for fast packaging and material handling.

The robots have muscled up. AI is a silicon brainiac. What’s it all going to look like?

Sources: www.visualcapitalist.com., International Federation of Robotics, & corporate news released to the public.