Humanoid robots controlled by surgeons did world-first operation on live pigs

Teleoperated humanoid robots completed two minimally invasive gallbladder removal surgeries on live pigs during a preclinical trial published in Nature. One surgery involved a humanoid robot with a human surgeon assisting, while a second was performed by two humanoid robots working together. The experiment used Unitree G1 humanoid robots standing 5 feet tall and weighing 60 pounds, offering potential advantages over larger specialized surgical systems for deployment in remote areas.

Source: Ars Technica | 2026-07-09