logo
episode-header-image
Jul 14
26m 28s

Meet the humanoid robots performing surg...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Humanoid robots have successfully performed surgery in an operating theatre for the first time. They were remotely controlled by surgeons. An expert involved talks to Tech Life.

Also this week: the man who invented the infinite scroll tells us his latest thoughts on social media. And how do you stop big cargo ships pumping greenhouse gases into the air, as they move our goods around the world? We hear about a carbon capture solution.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn

(Photo: Two human-shaped robots stand holding equipment, and perform surgery in an operating theatre. Credit: University of California San Diego)

Up next
Jul 7
Too young to scroll?
What is a good age to give a child a smartphone? A community in Ireland might have the answer. In Greystones there's a voluntary agreement to wait until secondary school age. We hear from the school principal who leads the "It Takes A Village" initiative, and a local parent.Also ... Show More
26m 29s
Jun 30
What happens when health information is shadow banned?
We look at an issue known as shadow banning. What is it? How does it work? And could it be affecting health education messages for women and young girls?Also this week: we're feeling nostalgic about the discs that hold our favourite video games. And Shiona McCallum speaks to the ... Show More
26m 28s
Jun 23
Viva technology!
Shiona McCallum visits a huge technology show in Paris. There, she finds some of the latest kit that could be in your home or workplace before too long. And we're talking about data centres. They are central to our modern online lives. But not everyone thinks they are great. Shio ... Show More
26m 29s
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
In Machines We Trust: When AI hears a problem
Hidden away in our voices are signals that may hold clues to how we’re doing, what we’re feeling and even what’s going on with our physical health. Now, AI systems tasked with analyzing these signals are moving into healthcare. We meet: Lina Lakoczky-Torres, student at Menlo Coll ... Show More
32m 46s
Dec 2021
In Machines We Trust: How AI is giving a woman back her voice
Voice technology is one of the biggest trends in the healthcare space. We look at how it might help care providers and patients, from a woman who is losing her speech, to documenting healthcare records for doctors. But how do you teach AI to learn to communicate more like a human ... Show More
22m 51s
Jan 2025
Week in Tech: Hungry Hungry Hippocampus
How scared should we be of deceptive AI? Oz and Karah take the mic from Jonathan for their first episode of TechStuff and bring you a news roundup of their favorite headlines—including using ChatGPT to plan a crime and brain benefits for those who can still navigate without Waze. ... Show More
34m 51s
May 2025
Episode 122: AI Horizons: Transforming Healthcare and Navigating Ethical Frontiers
<p>In this episode with Luna Maroun, Product Manager and Adobe, and previous start-up coach and teamlead at MIT, we explore the transformative rise of artificial intelligence in healthcare — from streamlining data collection to reshaping clinical decision-making. As AI tools beco ... Show More
41m 7s
Mar 2021
In Machines We Trust: We're back with a new season!
Host Jennifer Strong and MIT Technology Review’s editors explore what it means to entrust AI with our most sensitive decisions. 
4m 10s