Humanoid Robots as First Assistants in Endoscopic Surgery

TL;DR

This paper presents a pioneering proof of concept where a humanoid robot successfully assisted in a cadaveric endoscopic surgery, demonstrating feasibility and identifying future development challenges.

Contribution

First demonstration of a humanoid robot assisting in an actual surgical procedure, establishing form-factor feasibility and highlighting engineering and operational challenges.

Findings

Successful completion of cadaveric sphenoidectomy with humanoid robot

Humanoid robot maintained stable visualization throughout the procedure

Identified engineering targets for clinical translation and autonomous capabilities

Abstract

Humanoid robots have become a focal point of technological ambition, with claims of surgical capability within years in mainstream discourse. These projections are aspirational yet lack empirical grounding. To date, no humanoid has assisted a surgeon through an actual procedure, let alone performed one. The work described here breaks this new ground. Here we report a proof of concept in which a teleoperated Unitree G1 provided endoscopic visualization while an attending otolaryngologist performed a cadaveric sphenoidectomy. The procedure was completed successfully, with stable visualization maintained throughout. Teleoperation allowed assessment of whether the humanoid form factor could meet the physical demands of surgical assistance in terms of sustenance and precision; the cognitive demands were satisfied -- for now -- by the operator. Post-procedure analysis identified engineering targets for clinical translation, alongside near-term opportunities such as autonomous diagnostic scoping. This work establishes form-factor feasibility for humanoid surgical assistance while identifying challenges for continued development.