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The requirements for robots in medical practice are different from those for industrial robots. Despite these rigorous requirements, robots are widely used in many areas of medical care and are used in virtually all surgi- cal specialties. Diaz and colleagues made a careful ana- lysis of the specific needs for robotics in medicine in order to guide future development [26]. They point out cost reduction, time of intervention, set-up time and complexity, reduced operating room footprint, data inte- gration, and improved decision-making as clinical needs for robots in the future. They also carefully examine the technological possibilities that need to be matched to clinical needs as development advances in the future. Technical requirements that are highlighted include re- duced size, shape and weight, increased numbers of de- grees of freedom, reduced workspace needs, improved resolution in motion, platform stability, retraction of tis- sue, force (haptic) feedback, improved spatial orienta- tion, wireless modules, triangulation, reduced need for instrument exchange, instrument flexibility, suctioning and irrigation, improved control requirements, improved ergonomics ad appropriate training. This paper is an ex- cellent discussion of the interface between engineering and robotic surgery and points out many areas for future development. Training in robotic surgery We are still in the early phases of development of ro- botic surgery. Perhaps as a result of the wild frenzy of adoption for laparoscopic surgery and the lack of a care- ful approach to training at that time, investigators and leaders in the field are developing educational programs as the field progresses. Some of this is being adopted from international working groups which are developing training in minimally invasive pancreatic resections in general, not limited to robotic surgery [27]. An inter- national conference was held in 2016 in Brazil to focus on training and education issues. There is a definite learning curve associated with minimally invasive sur- gery of the pancreas, and low case volumes at many in- stitutions make this a significant issue. Patient safety is not assured simply by surgical volume. The group con- cluded that a paradigm shift away from “ see one, do one, teach one ” is essential, and must be based on mastery of defined skills, including simulation and bio-tissue train- ing. Centers of excellence must be developed to provide Fig. 2 A typical configuration of the DaVinci robot in the operating room. Note that all team members have a clear view of the Vision Cart. Adapted from Ju YY and King JC. J. Vis Surgery 2017. 3:139. doi: https://doi.org/10.21037/jovs.2017.08.14 Lefor BMC Biomedical Engineering (2019) 1:2 Page 7 of 15 JULY 2021 | The Surgical Technologist | 309