UC San Diego humanoid robots complete first live gallbladder surgeries

Engineers and surgeons at the University of California, San Diego successfully performed two laparoscopic gallbladder removals on live pigs using tele‑operated humanoid robots. In the first procedure a single robot worked alongside a human surgeon; in the second a pair of robots completed the operation without direct human hands. The robots, nicknamed “Surgie,” are compact, five‑foot‑tall units with a head, torso and two arms, allowing them to fit into standard operating rooms.

The work was published in Nature on July 8, 2026 and is described as a proof‑of‑concept that could pave the way for human clinical trials. Researchers highlight the robots’ small footprint, lower cost and mobility as advantages for use in rural hospitals, field units, ships or disaster zones, potentially easing surgeon shortages and expanding access to critical surgery worldwide.