Can China’s AI-powered surgical robots cut wait times for operations?

Artificial intelligence-powered surgical robots are progressing towards becoming a surgeon’s third hand, potentially easing pressure on medical resources, according to a Chinese researcher leading a team that completed the world’s first multitask surgical automation tests on a live animal.

The team led by the Chinese University of Hong Kong developed an AI system automating a robotic arm to help surgeons in routine tasks like retracting tissue, picking up gauze and clipping blood vessels.

The AI-automated arm acts as a third hand for surgeons, who control two other robotic arms from a control console where they view live endoscopic footage during operations.

Dou Qi of CUHK’s department of computer science and engineering said that future work involved ensuring the safety and accuracy of AI co-pilots in robotic surgery, encouraging more researchers to advance the technology for clinical applications and promoting regulation of AI use in surgical settings.

The researchers reported their work in an article published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Robotics in July, in a special issue on autonomy and AI in medical robots.

“The trend of an ageing population further brings growing clinical demand, placing strain on surgeons who must manage more patients,” they wrote.