This motion-controlled surgical endoscopy tool is DIY genius

The da Vinci system is probably the most popular surgical robot in the US, but it's never been operated like this before. An enterprising hacker has got their hands on one of the da Vinci's delicate mechanical tools, and has managed to connect the hardware up to a Leap Motion controller — making its tiny surgical forceps gesture operated.

The video above (from YouTube user Julien Schuermans) shows how the trick is done. As explained by Hackaday, four Arduino-controlled servos are fitted to the pulleys and cables that operate the rotation, angle, and gripping mechanism of the da Vinci's tool. Gesture input is captured by the Leap Motion controller and then converted into instructions for these servos, allowing the operator to move the...