A Florida hospital has successfully tested lag time created by the Internet for a simulated robotic surgery in Ft. Worth, Texas, more than 1,200 miles away from the surgeon who was at the virtual controls.

Next, the hospital plans to test lag times for remote robotic or “telesurgery” in Denver and then Loma Linda, Calif.

“Based on these tests, we have determined that telesurgery is possible and generally safe for large areas within the United States,” said Roger Smith, CTO at the Florida Hospital Nicholson Center in Celebration, Fla., where the tests were performed. “Limitations are no longer due to lag time but factors associated with reliability, social acceptance, insurance and legal liability.

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