Medical procedures have evolved from open surgeries to minimally invasive surgeries (MIS) that are routinely carried out by inserting a tethered tool into the surgical site of interest. This site is accessed through an already existing orifice or through incisions made by the surgeon, with dimensions ranging from a few millimeters to centimeters. MIS tools typically contain light sources, miniaturized cameras, cutting, grasping and suturing devices.  The surgeon operates the tools from outside the body, which enables the surgery to be performed in a minimally invasive manner. These procedures have dramatically reduced the risk of infection, decreased the duration of the surgery as well as recovery time, and minimized scarring, trauma and blood loss. However, devices used in MIS still require a tether that provides electromagnetic or pneumatic control over the surgical devices and facilitates their entry into and retrieval from the body. Robotic surgical systems like the da Vinci® and Zeus® (Intuitive Surgical) allow a doctor to conduct the surgery with greater degrees of freedom and enhanced precision, in a reproducible manner. It is important to note that there is a considerable learning curve associated with the implementation of both manual and robotic MIS procedures, which may ultimately limit their widespread utilization.