Researchers and surgeons at the University of California, San Diego, used teleoperated humanoid robots to perform live surgery for the first time [1].
This milestone demonstrates that general-purpose humanoid robots can execute complex surgical tasks, which may eventually lower healthcare costs and expand patient access to specialized procedures [1, 5].
The robots, often referred to as “Surgie,” performed two [4] laparoscopic gallbladder removals, also known as cholecystectomies, on live pigs [2, 3]. To complete the procedures, the humanoid robots utilized a combination of their own articulated hands and standard surgical instruments [2, 6].
Unlike specialized surgical systems that are built for specific tasks, these humanoid robots are designed for general use. The team at UC San Diego sought to prove that these versatile machines could be safely integrated into an operating room environment [1, 5].
“Surgeons at UC San Diego just handed the scalpel to two humanoid robots, who went on to complete live surgical procedures for the first time in history,” New Atlas staff said [2].
The teleoperated nature of the robots means they were controlled by human surgeons from a distance. This allows the precision of a human expert to be combined with the physical capabilities of a robotic platform.
“Two human‑like robots just used regular surgical instruments and their bare android hands to competently operate on a living animal for the first time,” Gizmodo staff said [6].
The successful completion of the two [4] surgeries suggests a shift toward more flexible robotic assistance in medicine. By using standard tools rather than proprietary robotic attachments, the system remains compatible with existing medical infrastructure [6].
“Two human‑like robots just used regular surgical instruments and their bare android hands to competently operate on a living animal for the first time.”
The transition from specialized surgical robots to general-purpose humanoid platforms represents a move toward modularity in the operating room. By utilizing standard medical tools, these robots avoid the high costs associated with proprietary hardware, potentially democratizing advanced surgical care in underserved regions through remote teleoperation.
