Humanoid robot performs gallbladder removal on mammal in proof-of-concept test

A humanoid robot performed a gallbladder removal on a non-primate mammal, marking the first reported use of such a system in surgery. Researchers at the University of California San Diego conducted the procedures as a proof-of-concept experiment. In a second operation, two humanoid robots worked side by side to complete a laparoscopic gallbladder removal on another non-primate mammal.

Both procedures were detailed in a paper published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

Advantages over existing systems Researchers said humanoid robots are typically cheaper to produce and require less operating-room space than specialized surgical robots now in use. They also noted that humanoids can be deployed in a wider range of settings, including rural areas, battlefields, and space.

The robots, nicknamed Surgie, were teleoperated by trained surgeons during the study. One researcher stated that the goal is to develop an autonomous surgical assistant to address staffing shortages in some communities. The study authors said remotely operated and autonomous humanoid robots could expand access to procedures that patients would otherwise not receive.