Surgical Robots: Current Uses and Future Expectations

A staple of science fiction, robots have stirred human creativity since ancient times; and well before the term itself was coined by the Čapek brothers in 1921. Homer’s Iliad features automatons while more recent works like The Terminator merge robots and artificial intelligence (AI) to depict doomsday scenarios. Far from the latter apocalyptic scenario, robots have made it past the sci-fi realm and into our everyday lives. We have grown used to the sight of robot vacuum cleaners in our homes as we have shelf-stacking robots in warehouses.

The resilience of robots and their imperviousness to human traits such as fatigue have also made them apt assistants in healthcare. They have made strides in the field of surgery for their precision and speed. This article will cover the surgical robot landscape and contemplate what we can expect from these mechanical assistants in the future.