US researchers used Chinese Unitree G1 humanoid robots to perform laparoscopic surgery on pigs. Could general-purpose robots eventually replace costly, specialized surgical robots?
In an experiment at the University of California San Diego, researchers evaluated humanoid robots in laparoscopic surgery, including in vivo procedures on pigs. In one procedure, a humanoid robot operated under remote control with a surgeon providing assistance. In another, two humanoid robots were used to perform the procedure.
Metal assistants with limitations
A human surgeon remotely controlled the robots through a teleoperation system. The researchers developed a dedicated framework that allowed the commercially available Unitree G1 humanoid to handle conventional laparoscopic instruments. The study provides early evidence that general-purpose humanoid robots could be used for minimally invasive surgery.
“Remotely operated and autonomous humanoid robots have real potential for amplifying access to critical surgeries to which patients would otherwise not have access,” says Michael Yip, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California San Diego and one of the study’s lead authors. His research focuses on surgical robotics, humanoid robotics and autonomous robotic surgery.
Could a humanoid robot replace expensive, specialized surgical systems?
The researchers argue that humanoid robots could eventually offer an alternative to today’s purpose-built surgical platforms. Systems such as Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci are specifically designed for minimally invasive surgery and use dedicated robotic arms and instruments.
Humanoid robots, by contrast, are general-purpose machines designed to operate in environments and with tools originally created for humans. This could make them more versatile and potentially easier to deploy across different clinical settings.
The study used commercially available Unitree G1 humanoid robots. Researchers equipped them with laparoscopic instruments and developed a teleoperation system that maps the surgeon’s movements to the robot’s movements. Yip has previously argued that humanoid robots could eventually take on routine, physically demanding tasks in the operating room, such as holding an ultrasound probe or endoscopic camera, handing instruments to surgeons or assisting with other repetitive activities. Such applications could allow clinicians to focus on more complex aspects of patient care.
Robotic surgeries also in smaller clinics
Another potential advantage is teleoperation. If a humanoid robot can be controlled remotely, a surgeon located hundreds or thousands of kilometers away could potentially operate on a patient in a hospital that does not have a specialist available locally.
This could be particularly important in regions with surgeon shortages. Yip has suggested that remote surgeons or other trained operators could eventually use humanoid systems to provide care in underserved communities.
“This study shows that humanoid robots have a viable future in the field of surgery. You can imagine these robots being deployed in remote communities where staffing is challenging, or in austere environments like search and rescue scenarios where a massive deployment of field medicine is needed in a short period of time,” said Yip.
The technology could also have applications beyond conventional hospitals, including emergency settings or other environments where deploying a full-size surgical robot would be difficult.
Compact, commercially available humanoids-surgeons are coming
The researchers identified several technical limitations that need to be addressed before humanoid robots could be considered for clinical use. The system requires highly precise control, reliable tracking, and low-latency communication between the surgeon and the robot.
Laparoscopic surgery requires surgical instruments to pivot around a fixed entry point in the abdominal wall. To address this, the researchers developed a remote-center-of-motion (RCM) control system that constrains the instruments to pivot around the point where they enter the patient's abdomen.
However, humanoid robots also do not provide the same capabilities as purpose-built surgical systems. Surgical platforms are specifically engineered for precision procedures, while general-purpose humanoids must be adapted to work with surgical instruments and endoscopic systems.
Another important limitation is that the experiment was performed on pigs, not humans. The researchers therefore describe the results as evidence of technical feasibility rather than clinical readiness. Nature likewise notes that the key questions for humanoids remain their precision, reliability and safety in surgery.
For now, the most realistic role for humanoids may therefore be as surgical assistants rather than autonomous surgeons. UC San Diego is already exploring this broader idea. Researchers are developing humanoid systems that can perform routine clinical tasks, including ultrasound and image-guided needle procedures. Yip stresses that these systems are intended to augment clinicians rather than replace highly trained physicians.
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