SAN DIEGO: Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have achieved a major breakthrough in robotic surgery after two robots successfully performed an operation on an animal and removed a damaged spleen.
The procedure marked the first time robot surgeons carried out such an operation, while doctors monitored and controlled the robotic systems from a distance.
Despite the remote supervision, the robots performed the surgical procedure themselves, demonstrating the growing capabilities of robotic systems in complex medical procedures.
Researchers now aim to test the technology in human surgery, with experts exploring how robot surgeons could assist doctors in performing operations.
The study, published in the scientific journal Nature, highlights the rapid progress being made in artificial intelligence and robotic surgery.
Researchers predict that AI-powered robot surgeons could become capable of performing a wide range of operations with far greater autonomy within the next few years.
The development could transform the medical field by allowing robotic systems to handle increasingly complex surgical tasks, although human doctors are expected to remain an important part of the process as the technology develops.
The advance has also raised broader questions about the future role of human surgeons as artificial intelligence and robotic systems become increasingly capable in healthcare.