Key facts
- Humanoid robots have performed minimally invasive surgeries on live pigs.
- Surgeons remotely controlled the robots, removing gallbladders in a preclinical trial.
- The Unitree G1 robot, significantly cheaper than specialized surgical robots, was used.
- Researchers developed custom adapters and software to enable robot-assisted surgery.
- The experimental surgeries took longer than current specialized systems due to recalibration.
Humanoid robots have successfully performed minimally invasive surgeries on live pigs, removing gallbladders in a world-first preclinical trial. Surgeons remotely controlled the robots, demonstrating a potential future for expanding access to specialized surgical care in areas lacking resources.
The experiment utilized Unitree's G1 humanoid robot, which is significantly cheaper and more compact than existing specialized surgical systems like Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci. Researchers developed custom adapters and software to allow surgeons to intuitively control the robots' surgical instruments through hand motions. A stereo headset display and foot pedal were used for control, with one surgery involving a human assistant and another using two robots.
Despite the success, the teleoperated humanoid robots are still in the experimental phase. The surgeries took longer than with current systems due to the need for frequent recalibration and physical repositioning of the robots. Limitations in the robots' reach and range of motion, combined with latency issues, increased the workload for the surgical team. The researchers aim to develop these robots into autonomous surgical assistants capable of performing general tasks alongside human surgeons.