This Viral Medtech Video Celebrates 10 Years This Month

Nearly 3.6 million viewers have watched Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci robot operate on a grape.

The video shows off the capabilities of Intuitive's single-site wristed needle driver for use in single-incision surgery, which won FDA clearance in September 2014. It begins by showing a grape with a segment of skin lying to its side. The robotic arms then reapply the skin and suture it back on.

The technology was
initially developed, in part to facilitate suturing following a hysterectomy.

The grape video was not the first da Vinci YouTube video to gain widespread attention. A 2011 video showing the robot being used to fold and throw a tiny paper airplane currently has 1.6 million views.

Another YouTube video, also posted in 2011, has attracted 208,000 views. In that, the surgical robotics system is being used to play the board game "Operation".