ABSTRACT Robotic surgery has the potential to fundamentally change interventional medicine by combining the complementary strengths of humans and machines. This can enhance safety as robots

begin to intelligently interact with surgeons during training and to intra-operatively assist at varying levels of control and autonomy. In parallel, miniaturization is advancing the

frontiers of how deeply robots can reach into the human body, and ergonomic user interfaces are improving the ability of surgeons to direct them. Improvements in tissue modelling, real-time

feedback and delivery of diverse energy sources are key drivers of practical, intelligent human–machine collaborative systems. In this Review, we discuss the design and application of

systems. KEY POINTS * Robotic modules, such as image-guidance systems, mechatronics, sensing and control intelligence, soft materials, and energy sources for tissue manipulation and

dissection, are constitutive elements of computer-assisted robotic platforms for surgery. * Interventional medical robots can be classified by the level of control and autonomy in passive,

interactive, teleoperated and autonomous platforms. * Surgical robots can address human limitations and improve the safety and quality of interventional clinical procedures as well as

support surgical training and education. * Human-centred robotic platforms integrate tissue modelling and real-time energy source interaction monitoring to personalize and improve

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subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS THE EVOLUTION OF ROBOTICS: RESEARCH AND APPLICATION PROGRESS OF DENTAL IMPLANT ROBOTIC SYSTEMS

Article Open access 08 April 2024 THE IDEAL FRAMEWORK FOR SURGICAL ROBOTICS: DEVELOPMENT, COMPARATIVE EVALUATION AND LONG-TERM MONITORING Article 19 January 2024 AUTONOMOUS SURGERY IN THE

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authors would like to thank X. Wang (Multi-scale Medical Robotics Center Limited, funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission via AIR@InnoHK cluster) for supporting the literature

review analysis and editing process of the manuscript. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy Gastone Ciuti & 

Arianna Menciassi * Department of Excellence in Robotics & AI, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy Gastone Ciuti & Arianna Menciassi * Interdisciplinary Research Center in Health

Science, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy Gastone Ciuti & Arianna Menciassi * Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA Robert J. Webster III * Department of Mechanical and

Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China Ka-Wai Kwok * Multi-Scale Medical Robotics Center (MRC) Ltd., Hong Kong, China Ka-Wai Kwok Authors * Gastone

Ciuti View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Robert J. Webster III View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed 

Google Scholar * Ka-Wai Kwok View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Arianna Menciassi View author publications You can also search for this

author inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS G.C. conceived and organized the manuscript’s content together with A.M., in agreement and continuous interaction and discussions with R.J.W. III

and K-W.K. All authors equally contributed to writing, editing and revising the manuscript. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Gastone Ciuti. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The

authors declare no competing interests. PEER REVIEW PEER REVIEW INFORMATION _Nature Reviews Bioengineering_ thanks Ajay Pandey, Hamed Saeidi and George Mylonas for their contribution to the

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Bioeng_ (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-025-00294-6 Download citation * Accepted: 20 February 2025 * Published: 22 April 2025 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-025-00294-6 SHARE

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