Intuitive demos 4,000-mile telesurgery with da Vinci 5 surgical robot

Intuitive Surgical recently showcased advanced telesurgery capabilities for its da Vinci 5 surgical robot during a live demonstration at the Society of Robotic Surgery conference in Strasbourg, France. The demo involved two surgeons—Dr. Doug Stoddard in Georgia and Dr. Andrea Pakula in Strasbourg—collaborating remotely over a distance exceeding 4,000 miles. Using a dual-console da Vinci 5 system, they performed a procedure on an advanced tissue model that simulates live tissue behavior. The system enabled seamless remote control handoffs and incorporated force feedback, allowing both surgeons to feel the forces applied to the tissue, highlighting significant progress in remote surgical collaboration. Intuitive emphasized that while telesurgery is not a new concept for the company—citing the 2001 “Operation Lindbergh” transatlantic procedure—the current focus is on building a robust infrastructure to ensure safety, reliability, and consistent clinical use. The da Vinci 5 platform integrates foundational computing power to support new capabilities such as force feedback