Surgery of the future: scientists performed the first operations with the help of humanoid robots

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have made a breakthrough in medicine by successfully performing the world’s first series of operations using remote-controlled humanoid robots. During the tests, the workers performed a cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) with the assistance of a surgeon, and also performed a complex operation as part of a group of two robotic systems.

Surgical robot surgeons

Unlike classic robotic complexes, which can weigh more than 800 kg, require complex installation and specific software, surgical robots have high mobility. Their key parameters are:

• Weight of one robot: 27 kg
• Height: about 1.5 meters
• Design features: compact dimensions allow you to use them in standard operating rooms without the need for large-scale reconstruction of the premises.

Scientists equipped Surgery with special adapters that allow integration of standard surgical instruments. This greatly facilitates the use of robots in current clinical protocols.

Features of the process and perspectives

In the experiment, the procedures were carried out on large non-primates. Physicians operating the robots noted that Surgie’s interfaces proved to be more intuitive than the control systems in traditional robotic surgical units.

However, the technology is at an early stage of development. Specialists identified two critical obstacles: the need for repeated calibration of robots during the operation, which increases the intervention time, as well as the delay in communication between the operator and the system. Reducing the latter is of crucial importance for the future development of telemedicine, in particular for long-distance remote operations.

Why are humanoid robots needed in the operating room?

According to Michael Yip, associate professor of electrical engineering at UCSD, the robots’ humanoid form makes them versatile assistants. They can be useful not only in specialized hospitals, but also in field conditions, disaster zones or hard-to-reach regions where the lack of qualified surgeons is acute.

In the future, humanoids will be able to not only assist, but also independently perform a wide range of clinical procedures, making advanced medical care more accessible around the world.