A Vanderbilt University research team has launched a project to develop a fully autonomous surgical robot capable of performing surgical procedures without any human intervention. The team is led by Vanderbilt mechanical engineering professor Robert J. Webster along with experts from the University of Utah, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt University. The team is also partnered with Virtuoso Surgical, a medical-surgical technology company with ties to Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), founded by Webster, Duke Herrell, and Richard Hendrick. Virtuoso Surgical is most known for developing a robotic surgery system that dynamically improves minimally invasive endoscopic surgery.
The full autonomous surgical robot project is funded by a $12 million award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). ARPA-H is a research funding agency that “supports transformative biomedical and health breakthroughs — ranging from the molecular to the societal — to provide health solutions for all.”
“Fully autonomous surgical robots will transform medicine,” Webster said. “Not only will they make routine procedures safer and more affordable, but they will also address the worldwide shortage of surgeons and expand global access to lifesaving surgeries.”
Within the next three years, the team plans to demonstrate a robotic surgical device experienced in removing tumors from the trachea and prostate areas. This device is intended to operate completely without human aid or assistance. Surgical applications will be demonstrated initially in simulated conditions rather than with real-life patients.
A process milestone is for the robot to form situationally aware statements, such as suggestions or next steps inside a surgical procedure. The human surgeon can then approve or modify the statement. These human-robot surgery interactions are intended to improve robotic surgery performance, allowing the robotic system to one day be fully autonomous.
“Creating a system that can learn from human surgeons — and continue to improve performance — will be a game changer,” Herrell said. “Our vision is not to replace surgeons, but to vastly expand the work they do to improve patient’s lives and long-term health outcomes.”
Beyond human-robotic interactions, the team plans to work on advancing machine-learning algorithms for the project. According to the International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), “Machine learning (ML) is the scientific study of algorithms and statistical models that computer systems use to perform a specific task without being explicitly programmed.” Machine learning uses pattern recognition to teach computer systems how to handle data efficiently. Machine learning algorithms use large data sets to form predictions, analyze patterns, and perform various tasks.
“We will create brand new machine-learning algorithms beyond anything that exists today,” Webster said. “The key to making them practical is to simultaneously look at how human surgeons perform their work. What basic set of maneuvers do they use? How do they sequence those maneuvers? The answers to these questions enable effective learning on a tractable amount of data.”
This machine-learning pathway differs from current surgical robotic technologies that rely on model-based automation, with procedure sequences and start-stop conditions being pre-programmed. The team hopes that major advancements in machine learning algorithms will push innovation in the autonomousness of the surgical robot, allowing courses of action to be made in real-time as opposed to current pre-programmed procedures.
“With this significant support from ARPA-H, Bob Webster and his team will bring about transformative autonomy in surgical robotics with minimal invasiveness to accelerate patient recovery,” said Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena, professor of medical robotics at Imperial College London and co-director of the Hamlyn Centre, a surgical robotics organization.
References
ARPA-H Home. (n.d.). Arpa-H.gov. https://arpa-h.gov/
Johnson, L. (2024, September 24). Quest to develop fully autonomous surgical robot attracts award up to $12 million from ARPA-H. Vanderbilt University. https://engineering.vanderbilt.edu/2024/09/24/quest-to-develop-fully-autonomous-surgical-robot-attracts-award-up-to-12-million-from-arpa-h/
Mahesh, B. (2018). Machine learning algorithms – a review. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ResearchGate Impact Factor, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.21275/ART20203995
Vanderbilt. (2024, October 9). The Tennessee Firefly. The Tennessee Firefly. https://www.tnfirefly.com/news/vanderbilt-research-team-sets-out-to-develop-fully-autonomous-surgical-robot
Virtuoso Surgical Archives – Robotically controlled endoscopic surgical system. (2024). Robotically Controlled Endoscopic Surgical System. https://virtuososurgical.net/tag/virtuoso-surgical/
