Beyond da Vinci: Why versatile humanoid robots are the next frontier in surgery

University of California researchers successfully used teleoperated humanoid robots to perform surgery in a preclinical trial, with one procedure completed by a humanoid robot assisting a human surgeon and another by two humanoid robots working together. Unlike specialized surgical robots that are large, expensive, and fixed in single operating rooms, humanoid robots could eventually provide surgical access to remote areas, rural communities, and other locations where dedicated surgical systems are impractical. The robots demonstrated precision comparable to existing specialized surgical systems while using less space and cost, though challenges remain including recalibration needs during procedures and latency delays in teleoperation. Researchers envision humanoid robots eventually serving as autonomous surgical assistants that could also perform other tasks like fetching tools and cleaning operating rooms.