A robotic tool holder, including a housing, configured to be gripped by a human hand, and a wireless transmitter, located within the housing. The holder further includes a plurality of individual controls attached to the housing, the controls being configured, in a first mode of operation of the robotic tool holder, to activate respective motions of a first surgical tool physically attached to the housing in response to manipulation of the controls by the human hand, and in a second mode of operation of the robotic tool holder, to activate via the wireless transmitter respective motions of a second surgical tool remote from and disconnected from the housing in response to the manipulation.