In the past decade, research into medical robotics has surged, with thousands of academic papers published each year, and the field gaining ever-increasing attention. Despite this growing ubiquity in academic discourse, translation into real-world products remains relatively slow, with few breakthroughs reaching the clinical stage. Observing the last 10 years and looking ahead to the next, we are left with a series of critical questions: What capabilities of medical robots are still missing? What are the realistic expectations for medical robots—should they all be fully autonomous? And which emerging techniques in the next decade can potentially bridge the gap between research and clinical application? Furthermore, how can we enhance the awareness and cognitive abilities of medical robots to improve their performance in real-world surgeries?
This workshop will bring together leading medical robotics researchers and clinicians, fostering an interdisciplinary dialogue aimed at addressing these pressing issues. Together, we will explore the latest advancements, discuss key challenges, and investigate the role of both automation and human oversight in future medical robotics systems. By combining diverse expertise, we hope to find pathways towards practical, safe, and effective solutions for the next generation of medical robots.
