Rising profits as robo-surgeons cut deeper into heathcare

Sweet bajesus, that thing sure looks evil.  In fact, I'm pretty certain I saw it try to kill James Bond at one point.  Intuitive Surgical would have us believe that it's the da Vinci Surgical System, a remote 3D operating system with multiple arms and poseable endoscope for those extreme-closeups.

Apparently I'm the only one scared by it, however, as forth-quarter revenue for Intuitive has risen 56-percent, bolstered not only by sales of the da Vinci system but also in recurring supplies and services for machines already in use. 

Intuitive broke down their revenue as so: 

Systems sales: $206 million

Instruments/accessories: $112 million

Service/Training: $ 55 million

Total: $373 million

It's a sign that robotically-facilitated surgery is moving further into the mainstream, as faith in telepresencing and the precision and reliability of electronics and hardware grows in a profession used to demanding extremes of safety.  Sadly, though, I don't think we'll be able to get an Aesop voice-controlled Endoscope Positioner in to review.

Intuitive Surgical [via Robot Gossip]