As hospitals around the world face increasing pressure from aging populations, growing patient volumes, and chronic labor shortages, researchers are exploring new technologies to ease the burden on medical staff. A recent study by the University of California San Diego investigates the use of humanoid robots in direct clinical procedures—a shift from their traditional role in logistics or companionship. This technical exploration demonstrates that humanoids, when teleoperated by humans, can carry out a range of medical tasks, from physical examinations to emergency interventions and needle-based procedures.
Until now, robots in healthcare have been largely confined to non-clinical support roles—such as transporting supplies, disinfecting surfaces, or assisting with patient logistics. The new study goes further by demonstrating how humanoid robots, with human-like dexterity and bilateral coordination, can assist in more demanding clinical settings. These robots are not autonomous caregivers but are controlled remotely by trained operators using advanced teleoperation systems.
The researchers used a Unitree G1 humanoid robot equipped with dexterous robotic hands and a custom-built teleoperation interface. The interface incorporates motion tracking with VR-based hand mapping, allowing operators to manipulate the robot’s arms and fingers with high precision. A key innovation in the system is impedance control, which enables the robot to apply safe and consistent pressure—crucial for delicate tasks such as using a stethoscope or inserting a needle.
Seven Clinical Tasks Put to the Test
The robot was tested on seven medical procedures commonly performed in hospital settings. These included routine physical examinations like auscultation (listening to the heart and lungs) and obstetric palpation, as well as emergency airway interventions like bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation, endotracheal intubation, and tracheostomy. Two additional tests involved precision tasks: ultrasound-guided injections and surgical suturing.
In the auscultation task, the humanoid robot held and applied a stethoscope to a medical simulator’s chest and back. While the system successfully followed the anatomical landmarks, internal vibrations from the robot interfered with the audio quality. The study suggests that further development in signal filtering and vibration isolation will be needed before such use becomes clinically viable.
Another complex task involved the Leopold maneuvers—an obstetric technique for assessing fetal position. The humanoid was able to follow the four-step palpation sequence, but results highlighted issues with tactile sensitivity and limitations in finger geometry that prevented full replication of a clinician’s skill.
Emergency Procedures: Mixed Performance, Promising Potential
For emergency procedures such as BVM ventilation—used to provide oxygen to patients in respiratory distress—the humanoid demonstrated notable consistency. When compared to human participants, the robot delivered ventilation intervals and tidal volumes with less variability. However, in the single-hand configuration, it struggled to maintain an airtight seal, a task that typically requires two human operators.
The study also examined endotracheal intubation, where a tube is inserted into a patient’s airway using a laryngoscope. The humanoid robot completed the motion and placement with some human assistance, but lacked sufficient strength to perform the task independently. Similar limitations were observed in tracheostomy procedures. While the robot managed to make incisions and insert tubes in a simulated setting, it lacked the necessary force and fine tactile control to consistently meet clinical standards.
Precision Tasks: Ultrasound-Guided Injections and Suturing
In ultrasound-guided injection trials, the robot showed it could coordinate both hands—one holding the ultrasound probe and the other inserting the needle. Of 20 attempts, 70% were considered successful or near-successful, approaching the 90% success rate of trained physicians and significantly outperforming untrained medical students.
In suturing tasks, however, the humanoid lagged behind existing automated surgical systems. While the robot successfully completed some steps, its overall success rate was below 50%, primarily due to difficulties in needle reorientation and limited sensory feedback during tissue penetration.
Discussion: Assistive, Not Autonomous—Yet
The findings of the study underscore both the potential and the current technical barriers of humanoid systems in hospitals. In particular, tasks involving repetitive motions, such as BVM ventilation, or those requiring steady positioning under guidance, such as ultrasound probe placement, showed the most promise. The teleoperated robot could deliver these actions with more consistency than human operators.
However, physical strength remains a bottleneck for many procedures. Tasks like intubation and tracheostomy demand more force than the current humanoid platform can safely exert. In addition, the lack of haptic feedback—the sense of touch—is a critical limitation for precision tasks such as suturing and soft tissue manipulation.
Despite these constraints, the researchers argue that humanoid robots could offer a scalable solution for hospitals, especially when paired with human operators or semi-autonomous systems. The ability of humanoids to use standard medical tools without the need for specialized robotic infrastructure gives them a unique advantage in settings already built for humans.
Next Steps: From Simulation to Clinical Validation
The study was conducted entirely in simulated environments using manikins and non-clinician operators. As a result, the next phase of research will require clinical trials involving trained medical staff and real-world scenarios. In parallel, further technical improvements are needed in robotic force control, tactile sensing, and tool manipulation.
Lead researcher Michael Yip and his team emphasize that this is a foundational study, not a finished product. “This work shows that humanoids are not just science fiction—they can be adapted to work in hospital workflows. But we still need to address their limitations before they can be widely deployed.”
With healthcare systems worldwide searching for solutions to staff shortages and rising care demands, humanoid robots could one day become a regular feature in emergency rooms, operating theaters, or rural clinics. For now, they remain promising apprentices, learning to assist under the skilled guidance of human hands.
Image credit: David Baillot/University of California San Diego
