Humanoid robot removes gallbladders in pigs under remote surgeon control

A human-shaped robot, teleoperated by a surgeon, performed laparoscopic gallbladder removal in pigs — animal-stage work, not clinical.

Nature Medicine has highlighted a study in which a humanoid robot, controlled remotely by a human surgeon, performed laparoscopic gallbladder removal in pigs. Surgical robots today are purpose-built platforms that use their own dedicated instruments; a humanoid works with tools and rooms designed for people, which is why the form factor could in principle reach clinical settings that could never justify a bespoke system. Whether it has the precision, reliability and safety surgery demands was the open question, and the animal work is described as yielding insights for future optimization and clinical translation rather than a finished capability. This is a short research highlight of animal-stage work; the procedural detail sits with the underlying paper, which is not publicly readable.

Source: Nature Medicine