Similar System
The ZEUS surgical system is similar, but was designed by the American company Computer Motion. The ZEUS system was cleared for use in operating rooms in 2001 by the FDA, with three robotic arms instead the Da Vinci system’s four.
The first arm, AESOP (Automated Endoscopic System for Optimal Positioning) was a voice-activated endoscope letting the surgeon see inside the patient's body. The other two showed the surgeon's movements in greater detail, letting minimally invasive surgery become possible.
The ZEUS system was discontinued two years later, in 2003 to merge with its rival, Intuitive Surgical, to create the Da Vinci surgical system.