IIT Kharagpur Ties Up with Intuitive Foundation for AI-Powered Robotic Surgery Research

Kolkata and IIT-Kharagpur have collaborated with the Intuitive Foundation to establish a research program aimed at building AI-based digital models of surgery, enhancing the safety, consistency, and automation of robotic-assisted procedures.

The institute has announced the launch of MANAS (Multi-modal AI in Navigation & Automation for Surgical Robotics) SC in the context of a partnership. It means digitalising surgical workflows in an organised manner and methodically outlining decisions at each stage of the surgical process, from pre- to post-op. 

According to the report, the effort aims to identify repetitive tasks and high-impact decisions that could benefit from early focused process automation and/or AI-based advice.

The research will be conducted using the da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK), a non-clinical platform that was developed from decommissioned da Vinci systems and allows academics to conduct experiments in surgical laboratory settings that are realistic but not human.

According to the statement, the clinical data from real-life cholecystectomy procedures will be relied upon heavily to make digital models that facilitate safer, widely standardised robot-based care.

The program brings together academics, medical professionals, and international technology partners to develop “robust and responsible frameworks that drive surgical safety and patient outcomes," according to Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director of IIT Kharagpur.