New da Vinci trainer: RoSS

A new, market-ready da Vinci simulator was released last week, the
RoSS™ Robotic Surgical Simulator, licensed to Simulated Surgical Systems. The company plans to begin selling by the end of 2010. Looks nice and shiny, but the most important question is the quality of the simulation they created. Looking forward to see how they can compete on the more simple Mimic dV Trainer. Also, the Phantoms have serious limitation in workspace.
"A collaboration between the Center for Robotic Surgery at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University at Buffalo's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has produced one of the world's first simulators that closely approximates the "touch and feel" of the da Vinci™ robotic surgical system.
The Robotic Surgical Simulator, or RoSS, addresses the quickly growing need for a realistic training environment for robot-assisted surgery, a field that is rapidly expanding and is expected to constitute a significant number of all surgeries within the next five to seven years. The RoSS will play a critical, educational role for RPCI and other similar institutions involved in robot-assisted surgical systems."

Features of the device:

Stand-alone surgical simulator that is independent of a surgical robot, vision cart

Cost of operating the RoSS is minimal as no consumables or disposables are required

The RoSS data management system allows performance analysis and measurement tools to objectively measure and record performance

User does not require monitoring thus enabling maximum flexibility and opportunity for training

Surgical procedures can be rehearsed

New surgical procedure modules can be added to the RoSS

RoSS does not require an operating room environment and can be set up in a location most advantageous to access and training needs

RoSS has a monitor which allows a user or tutor to observe the procedure

Comprehensive curriculum to train for motor, and cognitive skills required to operate surgical robot

Suite of simulated surgical procedures for fellow or resident to follow, and recreate the surgical steps of an expert surgeon

Brochure of the RoSS.
A short video on MedGadget.
The patent they filed two years ago.
About the background of the research group.

Update: more about the training procedure.

Sources: SSS, UBaffalo, MedGadget