2nd International Workshop on the Evolving Landscape of Surgical Robotics (ELSR 2026):
Surgical Autonomy for Today and Tomorrow
1st October, International Conference on Intelligent Robots & Systems (IROS), Pittsburgh, United States
𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝟰𝟭𝟬 | 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝟴:𝟯𝟬 𝗮.𝗺. 𝗘𝗧
𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺? Register here: https://forms.gle/mMv8aNxCF21heWV28
Zoom link: https://asu.zoom.us/j/88666827732?pwd=i1KEnFnuJTiRpbhKxfweRaqRz3GPUH.1
Robotic surgery is entering an exciting new era where robots are no longer simply mechanical tools under the direct control of a surgeon, but rather fully-fledged cyber-physical systems capable of collaborating with doctors to carry out complex procedures. Within this evolving landscape, advances in AI technologies, together with the emergence of new robotic embodiments and platforms, are transforming the field while raising many open research questions. This workshop aims to bring together researchers from academia, industry, and the clinical community to discuss the opportunities and challenges introduced by these developments.
The workshop will focus on how two emerging themes are jointly shaping the future of surgical robotics: (1) the integration of advanced AI technologies, such as vision-language models (VLMs) and vision-language-action (VLA) models, to enhance perception, reasoning, and decision-making in robotic surgery; and (2) the emergence of new robotic embodiments and platforms, including humanoid and other unconventional robotic systems, which offer new forms of dexterity and interaction. Together, these developments raise new opportunities and questions about how intelligent robotic systems should be designed, embodied, and deployed. The workshop will feature invited talks, panel discussions, a rising star session, and poster sessions. Key insights and discussions from the workshop will be summarized in a white pape, which will be released on arXiv and submitted to a reputable journal for publication.
Interested topics include but are not limited to:
Theme 1: Surgical Intelligence
Foundation Models / VLM / MLLM
Surgical Agents
Safe and Trustworthy AI
Emerging Modalities
Generative Models
Data Curation
Theme 2: Surgical Automation
Robot Learning / VLAs
World Models
Multimodality
Simulation
Manipulation
Theme 3: OR of the Future
New Platforms / Instruments / Imaging Capabilities
Teleoperation
Real-time / Latency / Digital Infrastructure
Human-in-the-Loop
System Integration
Associate Professor,
Johns Hopkins University
Michael Yip,
Associate Professor,
UC San Diego
Hongliang Ren,
Professor,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Allison Okamura,
Richard W. Weiland Professor,
Stanford University
Sabino Zani, MD
Associate Professor,
Duke University
Pink McDowall,
Senior Fellow,
Mosaic
Jiawei Ge,
Postdoctoral Researcher
Johns Hopkins University
Ethan Quist,
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Alan Kuntz,
Assistant Professor,
Vanderbilt
Ji Woong Kim,
Postdoctoral Researcher,
Stanford University
Submission Site: OpenReview
Submission Deadline: 31 August, 2026 06 September, 2026
Paper Format:
· Maximum of 3 pages (text, figures, tables, acknowledgment, and references).
· Papers should be submitted in PDF and follow the IROS format.
· Authors may submit their preliminary and unpublished results or a summary of their recently published or accepted work for wider dissemination.
📢 Presentation & Awards
All authors of accepted papers will present their work in a dedicated poster session.
🏆 Best Paper: $300 USD 🏆 Best Poster: $200 USD
Showcase your research at our upcoming workshop! Two selected candidates will be invited to present a 15-minute talk on their work. All senior PhD students and postdocs are welcome to apply!
📢 Sponsored Opportunity
We are pleased to announce that the registration fee for the two selected Rising Stars will be fully reimbursed, generously sponsored by Intuitive Surgical.
Submission Site: OpenReview* (same portal as for paper submissions)
*Rising star applications do not necessarily require keywords and abstracts. Please fill in 'N/A' as a placeholder in the above sections.
Submission Deadline: 17 August, 2026 28 August, 2026
Application Materials:
An academic CV
One representative publication or writing sample
Research statement (maximum 3 pages)
Don't miss this opportunity to share your ideas and connect with leaders in the field!
We want to hear from you! If you have any specific questions you would like addressed by our panelists, please share them with us via this form: Panel Discussion Questionnaire
Shan Lin,
Assistant Professor,
Arizona State University
Ravi Prakash,
Postdoctoral Fellow
Johns Hopkins University
Jingpei Lu,
Research Scientist,
Intuitive Surgical
Art Jiang,
Senior Vision Software Engineer,
Intuitive Surgical
Qi Dou,
Associate Professor,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Ken Goldberg,
William S. Floyd Jr. Distinguished Chair of Engineering,
UC Berkeley
Jiajun Cheng,
PhD student,
Arizona State University
OpenReview & Technical Issues:
ccheng58@asu.edu
Hiu Ching (Athena) Cheung,
Incoming PhD student,
Arizona State University