Some interesting tidbits:* Moll was not driven by a desire to use robotics, but by a desire to make surgery less invasive. When he saw early designs of surgical robots, he became convinced that they could help in that area.* In 1994, Moll pitched the business plan that became Intuitive Surgical to his then-employer, Guidant. The company rejected it, and a year later Moll rounded up investors and struck out on his own. Imagine how Guidant's fortunes might have been altered had it approved Moll's plan.* Moll sees the greatest value of robots as their ability to make average surgeons perform as well as world-class ones. âEURoeThe public has no idea of the extent of difference between top surgeons and bad ones,âEUR he told the Times. âEURoeRobots are good at going where they are supposed to, remembering where they are and stopping when required.âEURThe piece also mentions two surgical robotics firms not affiliated with Moll, Accuray and Stereotaxis.Some of those interviewed for the article question whether hospitals will ever see much of a return on investment from surgical robotic systems. But it appears many top hospitals see them not as a profit-maker but as a means by which to recruit top surgeons. And Wall Street remains bullish. The share price of Intuitive, which was named one of MD&DI's Medical Manufacturers of the Year in 2007, has increased almost sevenfold in the last three years. And Hansen was able to raise $39.4 million earlier this year, despite the gloomy outlook on the economy. So for now, anyway, the sector's stunning growth should continue.