A surgical system comprising: a robotic manipulator arm comprising a distal end, wherein the manipulator arm provides multiple degrees of freedom; a platform rotatably mounted at the distal end of the robotic manipulator arm; an actuator assembly mounted on the platform, the actuator assembly comprising a group of telemanipulation actuators, the group of telemanipulation actuators comprising one or more motors; a telemanipulation linear actuator coupled to the actuator assembly and the platform to move the actuator assembly relative to the platform in one Cartesian degrees of freedom, the telemanipulation linear actuator being different from the group of telemanipulation actuators, the telemanipulation linear actuator and the group of telemanipulation actuators comprising a plurality of telemanipulation actuators; a guide tube comprising a first channel and a distal end; and a surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) comprising a transmission mechanism and a distal portion, part of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) being inserted through the first channel of the guide tube so that the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) extends beyond the distal end of the guide tube;the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) being removably mounted on the actuator assembly, the transmission mechanism being configured to mate with the group of telemanipulation actuators and to transmit actuation forces from the group of telemanipulation actuators to the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) to move the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a), wherein the plurality of telemanipulation actuators moves the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) with all six Cartesian degrees of freedom; and wherein the degrees of freedom of the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) are independent of degrees of freedom of the guide tube and independent of the degrees of freedom of the robotic manipulator arm. a robotic manipulator arm comprising a distal end, wherein the manipulator arm provides multiple degrees of freedom; a platform rotatably mounted at the distal end of the robotic manipulator arm; an actuator assembly mounted on the platform, the actuator assembly comprising a group of telemanipulation actuators, the group of telemanipulation actuators comprising one or more motors; a telemanipulation linear actuator coupled to the actuator assembly and the platform to move the actuator assembly relative to the platform in one Cartesian degrees of freedom, the telemanipulation linear actuator being different from the group of telemanipulation actuators, the telemanipulation linear actuator and the group of telemanipulation actuators comprising a plurality of telemanipulation actuators; the group of telemanipulation actuators, the telemanipulation linear actuator and the group of telemanipulation actuators comprising a plurality of telemanipulation actuators; a guide tube comprising a first channel and a distal end; and a surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) comprising a transmission mechanism and a distal portion, part of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) being inserted through the first channel of the guide tube so that the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) extends beyond the distal end of the guide tube;the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) being removably mounted on the actuator assembly, the transmission mechanism being configured to mate with the group of telemanipulation actuators and to transmit actuation forces from the group of telemanipulation actuators to the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) to move the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a), wherein the plurality of telemanipulation actuators moves the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) with all six Cartesian degrees of freedom; and wherein the degrees of freedom of the distal portion of the surgical instrument (2402; 2502a) are independent of degrees of freedom of the guide tube and independent of the degrees of freedom of the robotic manipulator arm.