Humanoid robots controlled by surgeons did world-first operation on live pigs
Summary
UC San Diego researchers demonstrated teleoperated humanoid robots performing gallbladder removal on live pigs in a preclinical study published in Nature. The two surgeries highlight a human-robot team approach that could extend robotic surgery to smaller clinics and remote areas, offering cost and space advantages over traditional surgical robots. The work also outlines current limitations, including limited robot reach, frequent recalibration needs, and latency, signaling a long path to clinical adoption.