Is Force Feedback the Next Big Catalyst for ISRG's da Vinci Sales?

Intuitive Surgical’s ISRG latest FDA-cleared software upgrades for da Vinci 5 — Force Gauge and Focus Mode — signal a meaningful step toward real-time, data-rich surgery, and may ultimately become a driving catalyst in the system’s next adoption wave. During the third-quarter earnings call, the company noted that da Vinci 5’s digital architecture is already influencing surgeon behavior, with force feedback potentially emerging as its most transformative clinical feature.

The addition of Force Gauge provides visual force representation, while Focus Mode enables in-console video replay and 3D model manipulation, enhancing surgical awareness and decision-making. But it’s the emerging clinical evidence behind force feedback that could shift the narrative from “nice-to-have” to “outcome-changing.”

A recently published one-year analysis of more than 400 thoracic procedures showed da Vinci 5’s Force Feedback technology reduced median instrument tip forces and cut peak force application by roughly 20% when medium or high sensitivity settings were used. This suggests that surgeons may perform objectively “gentler” surgery, an advantage that resonates strongly in force-sensitive fields such as thoracic and colorectal.

Intuitive Surgical highlighted that its next priority is assessing patient outcomes, determining whether reduced intraoperative force leads to lower pain, fewer complications, or quicker recovery. Studies are already underway, and positive results could validate force feedback as a meaningful differentiator — one that hospitals can use to justify upgrades, standardize fleets and expand case volumes.

With thoracic, colorectal, and other high-value soft-tissue procedures still underpenetrated, clinical validation of force feedback could support faster adoption among both academic centers and community hospitals. Alongside da Vinci 5’s usability improvements and rising utilization among early adopters, Intuitive Surgical is framing force sensing as the next frontier in evidence-based robotic surgery rather than just another feature.

If forthcoming studies confirm its impact on outcomes, Force Feedback may become ISRG’s strongest innovation-led catalyst since the introduction of the multiport platform itself.

Peer Updates

Stryker’s SYK robotic surgery momentum remained strong in the third quarter, as the company reported its best-ever quarter for Mako installations, with surgeons continuing to expand use across hips, knees, and increasingly complex cases.Stryker highlighted ongoing software enhancements tied to Mako 4, designed to improve precision and digital integration, reinforcing its leadership in orthopedic robotics.

Strong utilization rates further validate the platform’s stickiness, supported by new tools and navigation upgrades scheduled for reveal at Investor Day. The broader Robotics & Enabling Technologies portfolio also benefited from growth in navigational technologies, with robust placements enhancing Stryker’s ability to bundle capital, consumables and surgical guidance solutions across sites of care.

Globus Medical’s GMED robotics and navigation ecosystem continues to scale, even as capital sales slowed in the third quarter. The company launched ExcelsiusXR, a wearable extended-reality navigation headset that improves surgeon focus and ergonomics by integrating visualization directly into the workflow.

GMED also secured FDA clearance for expanded ExcelsiusGPS instrumentation, enabling compatibility with additional interbody fusion devices — critical for accelerating pull-through after the NuVasive merger.

With more than 115,000 robotic spine procedures completed to date, Globus Medical is deepening its single-vendor spine ecosystem, pairing imaging (E3D), navigation (ExcelsiusHub/XR) and robotics (EGPS) into a unified platform designed to standardize workflows and drive implant growth.

ISRG’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates

Shares of ISRG have gained 9.7% in the year-to-date period compared with 4.1% increase for the industry.

From a valuation standpoint, Intuitive Surgical trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 60.73, above the industry average. But it is still lower than its five-year median of 71.54. ISRG carries a Value Score of D.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Intuitive Surgical’s 2025 earnings implies a 17.3% rise from the year-ago period’s level.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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