Chinese humanoid robot used in landmark surgery

Two Chinese-made humanoid robots costing less than $14,000 each have helped perform the world's first live animal surgery using surgical robotics, marking a breakthrough that could reshape the economics of the emerging technology that has long been dominated by multimillion-dollar specialized systems.

The feat, achieved by researchers at the University of California San Diego using Unitree Robotics' G1 humanoid robot, underscores how China's rapidly maturing robotics supply chain is beginning to challenge not only technological barriers, but also the high-cost business that has defined surgical robotics for decades.

The General Administration of Customs said China has exported 480 million yuan ($67 million) worth of surgical robots in the first half, up more than threefold year-on-year. The number of export destinations also expanded to 49 markets, from 23 during the same period last year.

Published in the journal Nature earlier this month, the medical breakthrough marked the world's first successful minimally invasive surgery on live animals performed by general-purpose humanoid robots under remote control.

The preclinical study used two Unitree G1 humanoid robots to perform two live porcine gallbladder removal procedures. Unlike conventional surgical robots, the humanoids were not purpose-built medical devices. Instead, surgeons remotely controlled the robots through teleoperation while they manipulated standard laparoscopic instruments already found in operating rooms.

In one operation, a single robot worked alongside a human surgeon. In the second, two humanoid robots cooperated to complete the procedure together, demonstrating for the first time that dual-humanoid surgical collaboration is feasible.

Michael Yip, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at UCSD and senior author of a paper on the surgery, told university newspaper UC San Diego Today that remotely operated and autonomous humanoid robots have real potential for amplifying access to critical surgeries to which patients would otherwise not have access.

"This can help address the healthcare crisis not only in the United States, but also worldwide... This study shows that humanoid robots have a viable future in the field of surgery," Yip said.

Lucas Zekai Liang, the paper's first author, said in media interview that the team chose Unitree's G1 primarily because it was one of the most readily available commercial humanoid robots on the market at the time. The focus of the research, Liang said, was the humanoid form factor itself rather than any specific robotic platform.

"It will still take considerable time before humanoid robots can be deployed in clinical practice for human patients. Before clinical deployment becomes possible, significant advances are still needed in surgical precision, sterilization, safety, regulatory approval and large-scale validation," Liang said.

Though facing many challenges ahead, the achievement represents a departure from today's dominant robotic surgery model.

For decades, robotic surgery has largely been synonymous with massive, highly specialized medical modalities such as the da Vinci surgical system. Those platforms deliver exceptional precision but come with equally formidable price tags, often costing well over $1 million after installation, occupying permanent operating room space and requiring specially trained surgical teams.

The Unitree G1 represents almost the opposite philosophy. Standing about 1.52 meters tall and weighing roughly 27 kilograms, the robot sells for around $13,500 before upgrades, making it accessible at a fraction of the cost of traditional surgical robots.

Fang Hainan, chief marketing officer of Chinese dexterous-hand manufacturer Inspire Robots — whose robotic hand appeared in the experimental system — said seeing Chinese hardware featured in a landmark international medical study was encouraging.

"The world's first minimally invasive live surgery using a general-purpose humanoid robot relied on Chinese hardware. That alone says a great deal," Fang said.

Still, he cautioned that successful laboratory validation should not be mistaken for clinical readiness.

Before humanoid robots enter hospitals on a large scale, researchers must further improve force control, tactile sensing, precision, reliability and safety while navigating lengthy regulatory approval processes and eventually conducting human clinical trials, Fang said.