Abu Dhabi AI tool that guides surgeons during robotic procedures wins international award

Researchers at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi have won an international award for an artificial intelligence tool that assists surgeons during robotic operations.

The accolade was presented at Erus 26, a robotic urology surgery conference held in Padua, Italy, in September. The team’s creation, named Janus AI, can provide surgeons with footage of similar past procedures in real time.

How the AI system works

The technology analyses video footage captured during robotic surgery and identifies a 30-second clip from a previous operation that matches the current stage of the procedure. It functions like a search engine for robotic surgery videos, allowing doctors to access relevant examples while operating.

“While performing robotic surgery, we can have superimposed a number of small videos that show similar procedures, successful procedures, good procedures, in the exact same moment, so there is a guideline to follow,” said Cesare Stefanini, a professor of robotics at MBZUAI who oversaw the technology’s development.

“Sometimes surgeons may need some assistance; they would like to discuss with a colleague what they are doing, but they are not there, so this is a way to bring some human content to another human.”

The system can display footage from three previous operations at the same stage of a procedure, enabling the surgeon to compare different approaches.

Named after a Roman god

Janus AI takes its name from the Roman god Janus, who is depicted with two faces — one looking to the past and the other to the future. The name reflects the system’s goal of using past surgical experience to help doctors make decisions during current procedures.

“It’s very rewarding to be acknowledged by a community which is not only the computer science, AI, and robotics community, but also the medical community, [as it shows] that we are doing something that can be useful in the future,” said Prof Stefanini.

Collaboration and development

The project was developed in collaboration with surgeons at the University of Illinois Chicago, and the University of Turin in Italy also contributed. Edoardo Fazzari, a postdoctoral researcher at MBZUAI, carried out much of the system’s development over about five months this year, following initial discussions with doctors.

He said the project was particularly rewarding because it offered practical benefits beyond academic research.

“Why it’s helpful for the resident, for the surgeons, is that you can look at the future. We are using past experience to help humans make the next steps,” he said.

“It should be very quick – we try to make it in milliseconds. You just click your button, make your query, and it pops up with three previous experiences that you can learn from.”

The current video library covers robotic urology procedures, including nephrectomies, in which a kidney is removed. The researchers hope to expand the system to other surgeries, particularly robotic procedures, as the library grows.

Not yet ready for live operations

Janus AI is not yet ready for use in live operations. The technology needs further refinement and regulatory approval before it can enter clinical practice.

When development is complete, the researchers hope to secure a commercial partner to bring the system to market.

Prof Stefanini, whose group plans to recruit new postgraduate students, including Emiratis, said the project is a source of pride for the UAE.

He said MBZUAI had created an environment in which AI researchers can exchange ideas and develop new technologies.

“We’ve proven we can produce world-class results in the UAE, with the talent and vision that we have here. It’s encouraging for the future,” he said.

“It’s not just something that individually we are proud of, but it can become a platform for future developments here.”