From Concept to Market

Abstract

Surgical robotics and supporting technologies have really become a prime example of modern applied information technology infiltrating our everyday lives. The development of these systems spans across four decades, and only the last few years brought the market value and saw the rising customer base imagined already by the early developers. This chapter guides the reader through the historical development of the most important systems and provides references and lessons learnt for current engineers facing similar challenges. A special emphasis is put on system validation, assessment, and clearance, as the most commonly cited barrier hindering the wider deployment of a system.