Experimental surgery performed by AI-driven surgical robot

In a groundbreaking advancement in medical technology, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have integrated an AI system into a DaVinci surgical robot for gallbladder removal surgery. This development follows the introduction of the DaVinci robots by Intuitive Surgical in the late 1990s, which allowed experienced surgeons to perform operations remotely using robotic arms controlled by video feeds. Traditionally, surgical robots operated on pre-programmed instructions. Ji Woong Kim, a robotics researcher leading the current study, highlighted that previous systems functioned similarly to industrial robots used in manufacturing, executing tasks without the ability to adapt on the fly. The innovative team at Johns Hopkins has unveiled a new system known as SRT-H, or Surgical Robot Transformer. This advanced robot builds upon the capabilities of the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR), which successfully performed surgery on a live pig in 2022 but still required specific tissue markings and a set plan. What sets SRT-H apart is its adaptability. Unlike its predecessor, this robot employs an AI that learns from demonstrations, enabling it to adjust surgical plans dynamically based on real-time camera feeds. The team, led by Axel Krieger, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, made significant modifications to the hardware by utilizing the widely adopted DaVinci robot, which boasts over 10,000 units in hospitals worldwide. Furthermore, the software driving SRT-H employs two transformer models, akin to the architecture behind ChatGPT. One model oversees task planning while the other executes the commands, translating high-level strategies into precise movements for the robotic arms. This dual approach aims to enhance the flexibility and effectiveness of robotic-assisted surgeries, potentially transforming the landscape of surgical procedures.