Intuitive Announces Real-Time Surgical Insights for da Vinci 5

Intuitive has announced the first in a series of new software capabilities for da Vinci 5, designed to enhance surgeon and hospital efficiency through the delivery of a range of real-time surgical insights.

Da Vinci 5 has more than 10,000 times the computing power of da Vinci Xi. This enables innovative new system capabilities including:

• Force Gauge — a speedometer-like visual indicator that shows the force being applied at the Force Feedback instrument tip.
• In-Console Video Replay — an intraoperative feature that enables surgeons to revisit and review key moments from an ongoing procedure — without ever removing their head from the console.
• Network CCM — a new feature that enables hospital teams to process software updates — including Force Gauge and In-Console Video Replay — remotely.

“The expanded computing power of da Vinci 5 offers an opportunity to continuously optimize and extend platform performance capabilities through sequential software releases,” said Intuitive Chief Executive Officer Dave Rosa. “We pay careful attention to our customers’ long-term needs, and the integration of these latest features is the next step towards realizing what we set out to achieve with da Vinci 5 – helping surgeons and care teams to optimize efficiencies, deliver improved patient outcomes, and ultimately lower the total cost of care.”

Force Gauge

When using Force Feedback instruments, da Vinci 5 now displays relative real-time force applied to tissue during surgery through Force Gauge—a speedometer-like visual indicator that shows the force being applied at the Force Feedback instrument tip. Force Gauge is designed to support a greater awareness of force applied to tissue, measuring force within a 0–6.5 Newton range.

“We’ve had the opportunity to use da Vinci 5 Force Feedback technology for over a year and a half at Adventist Health Simi Valley, and we are finding that we are consistently applying less force to tissue during procedures,” said Dr. Andrea Pakula, Medical Director of Robotic Surgery at Adventist Health.

“Now, with the addition of the new Force Gauge feature, we have a real-time visual indicator of the force being applied through the instruments. This provides immediate feedback and adds another layer of information to allow us to further refine our technique. I’m excited to see how these enhancements could support gentler, safer surgery, as we remain focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for our patients.”

Recently published data in The American Journal of Surgery suggests that Force Feedback technology can reduce the total amount of force applied during surgery—without negatively impacting primary outcomes such as bowel function or length of hospital stay.¹

In-Console Video Replay

In-Console Video Replay is an intraoperative feature that enables surgeons to revisit and review video from earlier moments in the same procedure—without ever removing their head from the console. The replay appears directly in their field of view, alongside a live picture-in-picture window for continuous situational awareness.

Fully integrated into the da Vinci 5 system, In-Console Video Replay captures the entire procedure locally and temporarily, to support a surgeon’s real-time decision-making, collaborative review between dual consoles, and improved procedural safety and efficiency.

Network CCM

Force Gauge and In-Console Video Replay will be made available to customers in the U.S. through Network CCM, a real-time system update feature for da Vinci 5. With Network CCM, new software features can be enabled remotely, which could help to reduce administrative burdens by enabling hospital teams to process new software updates remotely.

The announcement of these new software capabilities for da Vinci 5 was made at Intuitive 360, an annual peer-to-peer educational forum where experiences, ideas and best practices are shared – all with the vision to provide better outcomes and equitable access to care.

Force Gauge, In-Console Video Replay and Network CCM da Vinci 5 software features have all received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). These updates reflect the ongoing software innovation to enhance the da Vinci 5 platform, informed by early customer feedback and supported by our long-term development strategy.

These features may not be available in all countries. Product availability is subject to regulatory approval in the specific market. Please contact your local Intuitive representative for product availability in your region.

¹ Chang GC, Upinder S, Debra, L, Vargas G, Shah S, Rashidi L. A pilot study on the impact of da Vinci 5’s force feedback on clinical outcomes: Does it lead to less tissue trauma in colorectal surgery? The American Journal of Surgery (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2025.116518

Source: Intuitive