Photographs with unresolved reuse terms are linked at their source; they are not included in this publication build.
Status filters describe the latest sourced state, checked 4 October 2026. The year control selects historical entry milestones.
Markers show documented origins, not installations or first clinical sites. Nearby markers are offset for selection; leaders retain the geographic position.
What this history includes
Scope
Surgeon-controlled systems developed for soft-tissue minimally invasive surgery, including multiport and single-port designs. Camera-only AESOP and early telepresence research provide context. Orthopedic, radiosurgical, catheter, biopsy-only and industrial robots are outside this catalogue.
When a marker appears
The entry is the earliest verified regulatory authorization found in this inventory. Where none is established, the date uses a visibly labeled first-human, prototype, announcement or commercial-launch fallback. A company founding is never silently substituted for a clinical launch.
Year-only dates stay year-only. An announcement date is not a regulatory decision date. Entries sharing a year are not ranked within that year unless finer dates establish an order.
What the status means
Acquisition, insolvency, closure, discontinuation and a paused development program are different events. An inactive website does not prove any of them. Current status is the latest state the cited sources support; an older observation can leave present operations uncertain.
Origins and photographs
Coordinates are approximate city positions. A technology origin can differ from headquarters and the first clinical site. Photographs retain their model and generation labels. Image credits and rights appear in each record; a research preview does not grant publication rights.
Coverage
This is an evidence-led catalogue, not a claim that every historical platform has been found. Unresolved candidates and conflicts remain in the source bundle.