cs.ROFeb 27, 2026

Humanoid Robots as First Assistants in Endoscopic Surgery

Authors: Sue Min Cho, Jan Emily Mangulabnan, Han Zhang, Zhekai Mao, Yufan He, Pengfei Guo, Daguang Xu, Gregory Hager, 

Organizations: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. · NVIDIA Corporation, Bethesda, MD, USA. · Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.

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Abstract

Humanoid robots have become a focal point of technological ambition, with claims of surgical capability within years in mainstream discourse. These projections are aspirational yet lack empirical grounding. To date, no humanoid has assisted a surgeon through an actual procedure, let alone performed one. The work described here breaks this new ground. Here we report a proof of concept in which a teleoperated Unitree G1 provided endoscopic visualization while an attending otolaryngologist performed a cadaveric sphenoidectomy. The procedure was completed successfully, with stable visualization maintained throughout. Teleoperation allowed assessment of whether the humanoid form factor could meet the physical demands of surgical assistance in terms of sustenance and precision; the cognitive demands were satisfied -- for now -- by the operator. Post-procedure analysis identified engineering targets for clinical translation, alongside near-term opportunities such as autonomous diagnostic scoping. This work establishes form-factor feasibility for humanoid surgical assistance while identifying challenges for continued development.

Figures & tables

Figure 1: Experimental configuration of the humanoid-assisted endoscopic setup shown using a phantom specimen to illustrate spatial arrangement. The Unitree G1 humanoid robot provided visualization with a rigidly mounted endoscope. The cadaveric sphenoidectomy used for feasibility evaluation is shown in Supplementary Fig. 3
Figure 2: Endoscopic views from the cadaveric sphenoidectomy performed under teleoperated humanoid visualization. Procedural progression is shown from navigation to the surgical region of interest, through tissue ablation by the surgeon, to visualization of newly exposed anatomical structures.
Figure 3: Cadaveric demonstration of the humanoid-assisted endoscopic setup.
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