Humanoid robots have performed minimally invasive gallbladder surgeries on live pigs, representing a significant step in medical robotics. The teleoperated robots, controlled by human surgeons, completed two surgeries during a preclinical trial published in the journal Nature. This experiment demonstrates the potential for remote surgical care in resource-limited settings, according to researchers at the University of California San Diego.
The study used the Unitree G1 humanoid robot, a product of the Chinese robotics company Unitree. The baseline model of the robot has a starting price of $13,500, with additional upgrades pushing the cost beyond $67,000. This is significantly cheaper than specialized surgical robots like Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci Surgical System, which can cost between half a million and several million dollars. The Unitree robots, standing at 5 feet tall and weighing 60 pounds, are more compact and suitable for smaller clinical environments.
The experiment revealed challenges in using humanoid robots for teleoperated surgery. Researchers had to pause for several minutes during operations to recalibrate the robots or adjust their positions. The limited reach of the Unitree G1, with an arm span of 450 millimeters, also constrained the surgical team’s ability to perform precise movements. These limitations highlight the need for further development before such systems can be used in human clinical settings.
Source: arstechnica
