Robotic surgery is an exciting field with almost unimaginable applications. Surgeons are already routinely using robotic devices in operating rooms all over the world. It is the next logical step to do long distance surgery when no other alternative is possible. Just as fly by wire has revolutionized aircraft flight, operate by wire can do the same introducing exponential increases in surgical precision and safety. Imagine the potential of anyone, no matter where in the world they are having a surgery performed by one of the best in that particular field. On the battlefield of Afghanistan or a rural area of Montana hundreds of miles from any major city, all that would be needed is a robot and a computer link.
I think they will have to come up with power and link redundancies that minimize the possibility of an interruption mid-surgery, but that shouldn't be too difficult with today's technology.
