Caleb Rucker, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee, along with a team from the university, is participating in a major project aimed at developing a fully autonomous surgical robot. The initiative, which has secured up to $12 million in funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), is part of a multi-institutional collaboration led by Vanderbilt University.
The goal is to create a robotic system capable of performing entire surgeries without human intervention, enabled by the innovative use of concentric tube robots. These needle-sized robots, described as being capable of bending and elongating like tentacles, are constructed from super-elastic tubes that telescope and rotate within one another. This design allows them to navigate complex anatomical structures that are currently beyond the reach of existing surgical technologies.
The project brings together experts from multiple institutions, including Vanderbilt University, the University of Utah, and Johns Hopkins University, as well as clinical professionals from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Robert J. Webster, a professor at Vanderbilt, is leading the project, which also includes contributions from Virtuoso Surgical.
Rucker, as co-Principal Investigator, will oversee the University of Tennessee’s role in developing computational models to simulate tissue and robot interactions during surgery. These models will inform the system’s artificial intelligence (AI) training, helping it to plan movements and map surgical scenes in real time. Rucker expressed enthusiasm about working with the diverse team, which spans fields such as computer science, AI, mechanical and electrical engineering, and clinical practice.
The project seeks to overcome the limitations of current surgical robotics, which rely either on pre-programmed, model-based automation or machine-learning algorithms that require large datasets. By combining these two approaches, the team aims to develop an adaptable, scalable, and robust system capable of performing surgeries autonomously. The robot’s small size and enhanced precision are expected to make procedures less invasive and extend surgical capabilities to previously inaccessible areas, such as removing tumors from the trachea and prostate.
In addition to these specific applications, the researchers anticipate broader clinical uses, including procedures related to uterine fibroids, bladder tumors, spine surgeries, and brain cysts. According to Rucker, the advancement of robotic autonomy in surgery has the potential to increase patient safety and reduce the physical and cognitive demands on surgeons.
Photo credit: University of Tennessee
