Humanoid robots have successfully performed gallbladder removal surgeries in live pigs for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the development of robotic surgery and paving the way for future human trials.
The procedures were carried out by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, with the findings published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
The first operation involved a humanoid robot working alongside a surgeon. In the second, two humanoid robots completed the procedure together without direct human assistance.
Researchers say the successful surgeries represent an important proof of concept as the technology moves toward clinical testing in humans.
“As a proof of concept, it absolutely worked,” Dr. Ryan Broderick, interim director of the Center for the Future of Surgery at UC San Diego, told ABC News.
Unlike conventional robotic surgical platforms, the humanoid robots feature a head and two arms.
This allows them to work in operating rooms without the bulky equipment typically required for robot-assisted procedures.
“The space constraints didn’t exist like in traditional robotic surgery,” Broderick said.
“It was a human-type bedside assistant, so it just fit into the space that we’re traditionally used to being in for laparoscopic surgery.”
Researchers believe the compact design could eventually make advanced surgical care available in remote or resource-limited settings.
“You can imagine this device being deployed on a ship, in a village somewhere, in a smaller operating environment that’s not in major cities,” added Dr. Shanglei Liu, a colorectal surgeon at UC San Diego.
“And it opens up, I think, a lot of doors for access,” he continued.
The team also believes humanoid robots could help address staffing shortages by assisting surgical teams and increasing the number of procedures hospitals can perform.
US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) died Saturday following a brief illness at the age of 71, his office confirmed.
“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness. Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” Graham’s office said on X on Sunday morning.
US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has died at age 71. He was seen speaking to the media in Ukraine on July 10, 2026.
Emergency officials responded to Graham’s Capitol Hill home at around 8:30 p.m. when they received a report about an individual suffering from chest pains, the Washington Post reported, citing police scanner audio.
Officials performed CPR on the man as he went into cardiac arrest nearly a half hour later and was rushed to George Washington University Hospital, according to the outlet.
Graham, a staunch ally of President Trump, was scheduled to appear on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” Sunday morning.
The septuagenarian had shown no signs of feeling unwell before his death, a staffer told NBC News.
Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks to the press alongside President Donald Trump during an event in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 3, 2026.
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! Trump mourned on Truth Social. “He was always working and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!
Graham, whose birthday was Thursday, had just returned to the US after a trip to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the ongoing war against Russia.
Rep. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the House Managers, pictured in his office in the U.S. Capitol building on the second-to-last day of the Senate Impeachment Trial of President Bill Clinton.
Former President George W. Bush (C) waves with Congressman Lindsey Graham (R) and South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Sanford (L) at the airport on 24 October 2002 in Columbia, South Carolina.
Graham (R-SC) greets ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) with an elbow bump at a hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on June 16, 2020, in Washington, D.C.
Zelensky hosted Graham on Friday, where the two had a “really good meeting” inside the presidential palace in Kyiv.
“Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer,” Zelensky wrote on X Sunday. “He visited Ukraine ten times during the years of Russia’s full-scale invasion and was here with our people when it was most needed.
“A staunch advocate for bipartisan and bicameral support for Ukraine, in recent weeks, he had been working on important initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including stronger sanctions against Russia. We will always be especially grateful for the recognition of our people and words of admiration for the courage of Ukraine’s defenders. America and the world have lost a determined leader,” he added.
Sen. Lindsey Graham meets with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 18, 2026.
The Seneca, South Carolina, resident has represented the Palmetto State in the US Senate since 2003, succeeding outgoing 100-year-old Strom Thurmond.
He held key positions in the upper chamber, including as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
Graham has been a fierce critic of Iran and has introduced several bills aimed at limiting the Islamic regime’s nuclear capabilities and isolating the rogue nation.
Clemson University Provost Bob Jones, left, smiles as U.S. Sen Lindsey Graham gives two -thumbs up at a Clemson University graduation in Clemson, S.C. May 20, 2011.
Graham delivered the commencement address and received an honorary doctor of law degree at the University of South Carolina in 2004.
He has regularly advocated for extending Trump’s wartime powers as the US negotiated a cease-fire with Iran in hopes of reopening the Strait of Hormuz while ensuring Iran doesn’t rebuild its nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned Graham’s death as Israel losing “one of its greatest friends.”
“In our recent meeting, I said, ‘Lindsey is a great friend of Israel and a cherished friend of mine. We have no better friend than Lindsey,’” Netanyahu said. “Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance, and standing up for the free world.
“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” he added.
Graham was seeking his fifth Senate term and won the South Carolina GOP primary on June 9, receiving a majority, 56.78%, of the vote against five challengers.
President Donald Trump listens as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks at a campaign event at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 28, 2023.
“From his humble beginnings to the Senate floor, Lindsey always led with faith, family, and South Carolina first. Lindsey remained committed to public service and doing what he loved. He always introduced levity and brought wit to the most challenging moments. Lindsey will be missed,” he said.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster described Graham as “irreplaceable” and the “fiercest of fighters.”
“Peggy and I—and our children—are devastated. Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable. The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America—and a loyal and steadfast friend. We grieve with Darline, his family, and his devoted staff. May God hold him gently in the palm of his hand. We shall not see his likes again,” McMaster wrote on X.
