A robotic surgical system comprising: a self-contained surgical attachment (15,115) comprising: a surgical tool; an actuator configured to drive the surgical tool; and a power cell for providing electrical power to the actuator, the power cell being configured to accumulate stored electrical energy during an idle state of the actuator and to discharge at least a portion of the stored energy to power the actuator during a peak load of the actuator, characterized in that the robotic surgical system further comprises: a manipulation unit (10,110) to which the surgical attachment is removably mounted, wherein the mounting of the surgical attachment to the manipulation unit allows an electrical current to be transferred from the manipulation unit to the surgical attachment to provide electrical power to the actuator and to charge the power cell; a continuous electrical power source coupled to the manipulation unit to provide said electrical power to charge the power cell, wherein the power cell is configured to output a current greater than the current of the continuous electrical power source during the peak load of the actuator; and a control station configured to receive input from an operator and to exchange control signals with the manipulation unit and the surgical attachment, wherein the manipulation unit (10,110) is configured to position the surgical attachment in relation to a surgical procedure site by translating and/or rotating the surgical attachment in response to control signals received from the control station. a self-contained surgical attachment (15,115) comprising: a surgical tool; an actuator configured to drive the surgical tool; and a power cell for providing electrical power to the actuator, the power cell being configured to accumulate stored electrical energy during an idle state of the actuator and to discharge at least a portion of the stored energy to power the actuator during a peak load of the actuator, a surgical tool; an actuator configured to drive the surgical tool; and a power cell for providing electrical power to the actuator, the power cell being configured to accumulate stored electrical energy during an idle state of the actuator and to discharge at least a portion of the stored energy to power the actuator during a peak load of the actuator, characterized in that the robotic surgical system further comprises: a manipulation unit (10,110) to which the surgical attachment is removably mounted, wherein the mounting of the surgical attachment to the manipulation unit allows an electrical current to be transferred from the manipulation unit to the surgical attachment to provide electrical power to the actuator and to charge the power cell; a continuous electrical power source coupled to the manipulation unit to provide said electrical power to charge the power cell, wherein the power cell is configured to output a current greater than the current of the continuous electrical power source during the peak load of the actuator; and a control station configured to receive input from an operator and to exchange control signals with the manipulation unit and the surgical attachment, a manipulation unit (10,110) to which the surgical attachment is removably mounted, wherein the mounting of the surgical attachment to the manipulation unit allows an electrical current to be transferred from the manipulation unit to the surgical attachment to provide electrical power to the actuator and to charge the power cell; a continuous electrical power source coupled to the manipulation unit to provide said electrical power to charge the power cell, wherein the power cell is configured to output a current greater than the current of the continuous electrical power source during the peak load of the actuator; and a control station configured to receive input from an operator and to exchange control signals with the manipulation unit and the surgical attachment, wherein the manipulation unit (10,110) is configured to position the surgical attachment in relation to a surgical procedure site by translating and/or rotating the surgical attachment in response to control signals received from the control station.