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How far are vision-free medical robots from achieving trustworthy embodied intelligence?

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Embodied Intelligence (EI) is rapidly reshaping the field of robotic surgery, enabling unprecedented levels of clinical precision while liberating surgeons from excessive cognitive and physical burdens. However, for "vision-free" surgical robots incapable of integrating direct visual sensing-such as endovascular robots and untethered swarms-their persistent reliance on external medical imaging fundamentally impedes their evolution toward safe and trustworthy EI-surgery.

Source: iScience

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.117416

Authors: Jiacheng Liu, Hong Zhang, Hao Wang, Shilong Han, Xu Chen, Xiaohang Nie, Jie Liu, Yichao Tang

Institutions: Tongji University, Shanghai Innovation Institute, Tianjin University, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Harbin Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Soft Robotics and Applications

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,240

Funders: Shanghai Key Basic Research Program, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Tongji University, National University's Basic Research Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

Awards: G2578802927, G7651702916

OpenAlex ID: W7221053268

FWCI: 1.492

Cites: 18

Cited by: 1

Related to: 10