Researchers at the University of California San Diego have successfully used two teleoperated humanoid robots to perform live surgeries during a preclinical trial, a first for humanoid robots. The breakthrough, published in the journal Nature, involved two successful gallbladder removal surgeries on large non-primate mammals. The robot, nicknamed 'Surgie,' stands around 5 feet (1.5 metres) and weighs about 60 pounds (27 kg), with a compact and mobile design that fits inside a standard operating room. An experienced surgeon controlled every movement remotely using a special control system, with the robot copying hand movements with high precision. The trial included two procedures: a Human-Robot Team, where a humanoid robot performed the surgery while a human surgeon assisted, and a Robot-Robot Team, where two humanoid robots worked together. Researchers note that traditional surgical robots weigh around 1,800 pounds, require specially designed operating rooms, and need large teams to set them up. Because Surgie is lightweight and portable, these robots could be used in rural hospitals, remote communities, disaster response centres, military battlefields, search and rescue missions, and future space missions.