Humanoid Robots Perform First Live Surgeries

Humanoid robots have performed their first live surgeries, successfully completing two laparoscopic gallbladder removals in pigs. The breakthrough, detailed in a new study, utilizes remotely controlled robots that mimic human movements and functions, offering a glimpse into a future where such technology could alleviate surgeon shortages, assist in operating rooms, and expand access to medical procedures in underserved areas.

"This study shows that humanoid robots have a viable future in the field of surgery," Michael Yip, a senior author of the paper and faculty member at the University of California San Diego, said in a press release. "You can imagine these robots being deployed in remote communities where staffing is challenging, or in austere environments like search and rescue scenarios where a massive deployment of field medicine is needed in a short period of time."

During the procedures, the robots retracted tissue, dissected, clipped, and removed gallbladders from the pigs' liver beds. In one operation, a humanoid robot acted as the primary surgeon with human assistance, while the second involved two robots working in tandem. The human surgeons remotely controlled the machines, guiding their movements from a distance.

The researchers modified two commercially available Unitree G1 humanoid robots, which stand approximately 5 feet tall and weigh around 60 pounds, for the experiment. This approach allows for greater versatility compared to specialized robotic systems designed for a limited range of tasks. The scientists believe that the robots' smaller size, lower cost, and simpler setup could make the technology more accessible for deployment in rural hospitals, remote communities, and other locations with limited medical resources.

"It’s a fraction of the cost and it takes a fraction of the space in an operating room," said Dr. Shanglei Liu, another senior author who remotely controlled a robot during the surgery. "So it’s easy to deploy, anywhere from rural areas, to the battlefield and even to space."

Despite the promising results, the technology is still in its early stages. The paper acknowledges that significant technical challenges must be overcome before these robots can be used in human patients. During the operations, the robots required recalibration multiple times, extending the procedure duration compared to current specialized robotic systems. The research team is also working to minimize the latency between a surgeon's input and the robot's response to enable remote patient care.

In the near term, the scientists envision these robots serving as surgical assistants, helping with tasks such as fetching instruments, preparing equipment, or cleaning up after procedures. "Many communities struggle with adequate staffing on the surgical team, which means patients are not being treated," Yip noted. "Our goal is an operating theatre of the future, where humanoid robots and humans work side by side as an integrated team to deliver procedures to those in need, both in traditional hospital settings as well as in non-traditional, field medicine scenarios."