Robotic-assisted surgery is expanding across specialties due to advantages including instrument dexterity, depth perception and improved ergonomics. NHS England projections indicate rapid scale-up of robotic surgery to ∼500,000 robot-supported operations annually by 2035, with robotic assistance becoming the default for ∼90% of keyhole procedures. Operating theatres are a key focus for decarbonisation, and equipment energy demand represents an actionable lever. This study quantified electricity consumption for robotic versus laparoscopic cancer surgery, translating to an implementation-ready mitigation bundle to support robotic programme expansion while minimising avoidable energy use. Electricity consumption on robotic and laparoscopic equipment was measured during colorectal cancer resections, capturing standby during setup/turnover, in-use during operating and out-of-hours standby. Readings were obtained during defined operating states, then modelled using prespecified setup, operative and clear-away durations based on local theatre workflow observations and published evidence of longer operative times associated with robotic colorectal surgery. Energy consumption, costs and annualised projections were calculated. Robotic equipment drew substantially higher power than laparoscopic stacks in both standby and in-use states. Robotic cases used over six times more electricity per operation than laparoscopic cases, driven by longer operative duration and higher system power. Out-of-hours standby for robotic components contributed materially to annual electricity use and cost. Alongside clinical outcomes and productivity metrics, energy use and carbon implications should be incorporated into robotic surgery programme governance. Mitigations include routine measurement, standby power management within manufacturer constraints, theatre workflow optimisation and procurement standards aligned to sustainable operating theatre guidance.
The increasing adoption of service robots in hospitality has transformed service delivery and created new opportunities for enhancing operational efficiency and sustainable service practices. However, limited research has examined how different types of service robots influence customer emotions and how these emotional responses shape perceptions of sustainability and post-consumption behaviour. Drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) theory, this study investigates the relationships among robot type, emotional responses, perceived sustainability, customer satisfaction and revisit intention in hotel settings. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 238 hotel guests in Malaysia who had directly interacted with either high-interaction robots (e.g. front-desk or concierge robots) or low-interaction robots (e.g. delivery robots). Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that high-interaction robots significantly increase both positive and negative emotions. Positive emotions positively influence perceived sustainability and customer satisfaction, whereas negative emotions weaken these evaluations. Perceived sustainability significantly enhances customer satisfaction and revisit intention, while customer satisfaction emerges as the strongest predictor of revisit intention. Emotional responses also mediate the relationship between robot type and customer outcomes. This study extends HRI and sustainable hospitality literature by demonstrating that customer evaluations of robot-enabled services are shaped by emotional appraisal and sustainability perception rather than technological functionality alone. The findings provide practical insights for hospitality managers seeking to design emotionally engaging and sustainability-oriented robot-enabled service experiences.
We investigated the impact of robot politeness and error-prone behavior on user perceptions through two user studies involving non-humanoid robots. Politeness was operationalized at two levels based on Lakoff's, (1973) politeness rules-one condition implemented all three of Lakoff's rules, demonstrating the highest level of politeness, while the other omitted them, resulting in a behavior that was strict but not impolite. The correctness was manipulated by comparing an error-free robot behavior to a behavior that included intentional errors. The studies were conducted using two different tasks with two robot types-a mobile robot and a manipulator robot-and involved 59 young adult participants (ages 24-28) with engineering backgrounds. Participants consistently rated the correct and polite robots most favorably. However, politeness did not offset the negative effects of erroneous behavior. In both studies, the robot that was correct but strict was rated more positively than the one that was polite yet made mistakes. These findings suggest that, at least in utilitarian task settings involving technically proficient users, politeness alone cannot compensate for performance failures. Moreover, a polite robot that makes errors may even frustrate users more than a straightforward but accurate one. The findings also emphasize the importance of evaluating HRI performance across different robot types and tasks, as these factors significantly shape user perceptions.
Research has shown that robots are perceived negatively when they are less socially skilled or more autonomous than users expect them to be. However, little is known about worker expectations of robot social skills and autonomy as developments in the field have been mostly guided by technological progress without addressing future users' perspectives. Building on the literature on social skills for robots and humans, we propose a taxonomy for robot social skills and investigate the extent to which this taxonomy is reflected in employees' expectations of social robots in a qualitative interview study of 20 workers from the hospitality, manufacturing, and care industries. Our results show that workers are able to provide specific preferences when discussing future robot use in their workplace. We argue that some basic robot social skills can be broadly implemented and derive a provisional set of technical requirements. Results also suggest that a robot's degree of autonomy needs to be finely tuned to the context and its task.
In recent years, highly dynamic robots have seen a significant rise in both consumer and research applications. Much of the focus on legged robots stems from their ability to adapt to a world built for humans, but energy inefficiency and battery capacity remain significant challenges to widespread adoption. Wheel-legged hybrid locomotion is an increasingly popular solution, as robots combine the energy efficiency and speed of wheels with the versatility and adaptability of legs. Most of the literature focuses on the actuated or active-wheel variant because it is simpler to control. However, recent advances in control strategies and computing power have made the advantages of unactuated or passive wheel-legged robots, such as their mechanical simplicity, low weight, and high energy efficiency, accessible. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the unactuated wheel-legged hybrid robot literature, together with similar systems, to review the alternative implementations and design techniques in the context of the inherent challenges of controlling a legged robot that has passive skates on its feet. We aim to outline the critical factors that determine the system's viability and propose some directions for future research.
Robotic colorectal surgery is established for malignant indications, but evidence supporting its use in benign disease remains limited. We describe perioperative outcomes of 403 consecutive robotic colorectal resections across all indications at a single UK NHS center, with primary focus on safety across benign indications. Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database (February 2020-November 2025). Cases were stratified by indication: malignant or highly suspected malignancy (n = 332, 82.4%) and benign (n = 71, 17.6%). Benign cases were subclassified into diverticular disease (n = 39), ulcerative colitis (n = 14), Crohn's disease (n = 13), and other (n = 5). Primary outcomes were operative time, length of stay, and Clavien-Dindo complication grade. Benign patients were younger (median 53 vs. 68 years; p < 0.001) with higher rates of prior abdominal surgery (33.8% vs 19.6%; p = 0.012). Across all 403 cases, median operative time was 240 min (IQR 199-302), median LOS 5 days (IQR 4-8), and CD Grade III-IV rate 9.2%. Despite equivalent operative times (p = 0.84), benign cases converted more frequently (15.5% vs 6.9%; p = 0.031), independently predicted by age (OR 1.04; p = 0.013), and cancer indication (OR 0.31; p = 0.012). Within the benign cohort, IBD patients were younger than those with diverticular disease (p < 0.001). Procedure type and stoma rates differed significantly by subgroup (both p < 0.001), yet complication rates, operative time, and LOS were equivalent. Robotic colorectal surgery is safe and reproducible across malignant and benign indications within specialised colorectal robotic centers. Complication profiles matched published benchmarks. Benign cases had a higher conversion rate, but this was driven by prior surgical burden and operative complexity, not platform limitation, and it did not increase morbidity. These data constitute the largest single-center UK evidence base for robotic colorectal surgery across all indications and support the expansion of robotic commissioning into benign practice.
Robotic and laparoscopic approaches to rectal cancer surgery yield comparable short-term outcomes; however, comparative inpatient costs, particularly when stratified by tumor level, remain insufficiently characterized. This study compared short-term clinical and pathological outcomes, as well as index hospitalization costs, for minimally invasive surgery in patients with mid and low rectal cancer. All consecutive patients with mid (5-10 cm from the anal verge) and low (<5 cm from the anal verge) rectal cancer who underwent elective minimally invasive surgery between January 2018 and December 2023 were identified. One-to-one propensity score matching was performed using the following covariates: age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, tumor level, receipt of neoadjuvant therapy, and presence of a defunctioning stoma. Outcomes and cost components were compared overall and stratified by tumor level. After matching, 282 patients were included (laparoscopic surgery, n=141; robotic surgery, n=141). Median operative time was longer in the robotic group (368 minutes vs. 325 minutes, P=0.007), whereas the median postoperative length of stay was similar between groups (6.0 days vs. 6.0 days, P=0.255). Rates of conversion to open surgery, anastomotic leak, 30-day mortality, and 30-day readmission did not differ significantly. Histopathological indicators of resection quality, including lymph node yield, margin clearance, and completeness of total mesorectal excision, were comparable. Mean index hospitalization cost was higher in the robotic group (SGD 37,436 vs. SGD 31,724; difference, SGD 5,713; P=0.008), with a greater difference observed in mid rectal cancer (SGD 8,606; P=0.008) than in low rectal cancer (SGD 1,811; P=0.465). Robotic and laparoscopic surgery yielded comparable short-term clinical and pathological outcomes. Although costs were higher with robotic surgery, the cost differential was smaller for low rectal cancer, identifying this subgroup as a priority for prospective evaluation of clinical and economic value.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is technically demanding and associated with a steep learning curve and increased complication risk. Constraints of conventional endoscopes, together with the observed benefits of robotic assistance in selected surgical procedures, have driven development of robotic systems for advanced endoscopic applications. This review maps the landscape of robotic endoscopic systems in the context of ESD. A PRISMA-ScR-compliant scoping review was conducted. Six databases were searched in 2025. Studies evaluating robotic endoscopic platforms for ESD in preclinical or clinical settings were included. Two reviewers independently screened studies. Data were extracted on study characteristics, platform features, experimental design, and outcomes. Findings were synthesised descriptively. Twenty-seven studies were published between 2010 and 2025, with most from 2019 onwards (22; 82%), and mainly from East Asia (23; 85%). Most studies were preclinical (21; 78%), corresponding to mid-level technological readiness (TRL 4-7). Six studies (22%) reported early clinical evaluation (TRL 8), including one multicentre randomised trial. The most frequently studied site was the stomach (18; 67%). Over half of the studies were comparative (15; 56%), including 14 comparing robotic-assisted ESD (R-ESD) with conventional ESD (C-ESD). In preclinical comparisons (n = 13), R-ESD was associated with shorter submucosal dissection times and higher dissection speeds. En bloc resection rates were high overall, with lower rates observed mainly in novice-performed C-ESD. Perforation was uncommon overall, with higher rates concentrated in novice-performed C-ESD. Early clinical studies (IDEAL 1-3) demonstrated high en bloc resection rates with acceptable safety. Preclinical comparative evidence suggests improved procedural efficiency with robotic assistance, particularly in novice-operated settings. Early clinical evidence indicates feasibility and acceptable safety. However, findings should be interpreted as exploratory signals rather than established clinical superiority. Further technological refinement and robust clinical evaluation are required before wider adoption.
Soft crawling robots offer significant advantages in environmental adaptability and safe interaction; however, most existing systems rely on rigid-flexible hybrid structures or adsorption mechanisms, which limit stable bidirectional locomotion under fully flexible conditions. This study proposes a completely soft forward-backward crawling robot (OA-FBCR) composed of acute-angled and obtuse-angled dielectric elastomer minimum energy structure (DEMES) units. The robot achieves bidirectional motion solely through the electro-induced deformation of dielectric elastomers, without requiring rigid frames, mechanical joints, or electrostatic adsorption. An electromechanical coupling model combined with finite element analysis is developed to elucidate the relationship between structural geometric parameters and driving performance. The results demonstrate that a "top-aligned" configuration significantly enhances bending capability, with a maximum bending angle of up to 140°.Experimental investigations further reveal that the pre-stretch ratio and the hollowed-area geometry strongly influence actuation performance. Using an optimized gait control strategy, the robot achieves stable and repeatable forward and backward locomotion at approximately 5 mm/s across various terrains, while the speed increases to 8 mm/s on a 40° slope. This work provides a new technical pathway for fully soft bidirectional crawling robots and micro-scale flexible exploration devices.
Natural swarms can move cohesively while continuously reshaping their spatial shape, yet reproducing this behavior with large flying robot swarms in obstacle environments remains difficult, especially in achieving uniformity and safety. Here, we present a distributed 3D shape-assembly controller for flying robot swarms that forms arbitrary target shapes with uniform coverage and safe inter-robot distance. Inspired by bubble-rafts, each robot is associated with a non-overlapping region inside the target shape and updates its velocity by considering region exploration, region balancing and distance fine-tuning. The proposed region-based shape-assembly method is able to drive the swarm toward uniform formations and enable fast shape transformation, as well as resilience to robot joining and failure. For navigation, we design a lightweight velocity-obstacle mechanism that adjusts the nominal shape-assembly velocity to collision-free commands with minimal formation disruption. We validate the proposed methods in extensive simulations and real-world swarm experiments, demonstrating efficient formation of complex 3D shapes, robust maintenance of safety distances, and reliable obstacle traversal.
Computed tomography is a widely used imaging method for non-destructive testing. However, standard CT systems face fundamental limitations when scanning large objects such as car bodies, which must fit between the X-ray source and detector, both of which need freedom of movement around the specimen. Twin-robotic CT systems with high degrees of freedom address these limitations by enabling free positioning of the X-ray source and detector in space, making non-destructive CT testing of large objects feasible. However, achieving collision-free positioning of the robots is a challenging problem that is often neglected in theoretical representations of twin-robot CT configurations. This paper presents a systematic methodology for performing region-of-interest scans on large objects. The approach exploits the test object's geometry to determine robot reachability, which serves as the foundation for trajectory planning by incorporating accessible regions. By leveraging both rotational and translational degrees of freedom, including variable source-detector distances and detector rotations, the methodology expands the range of collision-free poses, thereby increasing reachability and enabling more flexible trajectory design. The methodology is modular and adapts to arbitrary system configurations and test samples via computer-aided design (CAD)-based geometry definition, where the test object determines the collision-free workspace. It is demonstrated on a BMW 4-series body-in-white through comprehensive batch simulation across 273 Region of Interest (ROI) positions, evaluating reachability improvements achieved through the introduced degrees of freedom using a data completeness trajectory optimization criterion.
Although biohybrid robots offer the potential for soft, adaptive actuation by harnessing living muscle, practical operation in cell culture environments is often limited by the requirement of immersed leads or cumbersome stimulation equipment. Here, we present a thin, miniaturized, wireless bioelectronic stimulator that can electrically drive biohybrid robots while maintaining stability in aqueous cell culture media. Built on a 50-µm liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate, the device integrates a planar receiving coil, interconnects, a diode-based rectifier, and a tank capacitor. This enables the device to convert an approximately 4.9-MHz radio-frequency (RF) input into pulsed direct current (DC), which is delivered through integrated stimulation electrodes. The stimulator has a footprint of ~ 32 mm² and a total thickness and mass of ~ 100 μm and ~ 7 mg, respectively. We integrated the stimulator with a nanopatterned carbon nanotube (CNT)/gelatin hydrogel fin seeded with human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) to generate propulsion through fin flapping. By optimizing the thickness of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) encapsulation layer, the density was tuned, and the robot remained freely floating and retained shape integrity during operation. This produced autonomous forward locomotion of 74.8 ± 16.4 μm s- 1. The stimulator generated distance-dependent output voltage pulses and enabled external pacing/modulation under the tested conditions, without a marked loss of cardiomyocyte attachment or α-actinin-positive sarcomeric organization. Together, these results provide a proof-of-concept compact, media-compatible, wireless bioelectronic interface toward closed-system biohybrid robotics.
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare systemic disease characterized by progressive cystic destruction of the lung parenchyma, resulting in extreme parenchymal fragility. Surgical treatment of lung cancer in patients with LAM is technically challenging due to the high risk of intractable air leaks. We report a case of robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) for lung cancer in a patient with LAM, highlighting a strategic hybrid approach to managing the exceptionally fragile lung tissue. A 56-year-old woman with tuberous sclerosis complex-associated LAM was diagnosed with Stage IA1 adenocarcinoma in the left upper lobe. We performed a RATS left upper lobectomy using the da Vinci Xi system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). To protect the exceptionally fragile lung, a "no-touch" retraction technique was employed using rolled gauze and blunt-tipped robotic instruments. A fissureless technique was applied to minimize parenchymal injury. Crucially, for the division of the incomplete interlobar fissure and the bronchus, we utilized manual staplers equipped with bioabsorbable reinforcement material (buttressed staplers) deployed by a bedside assistant, which provided superior sealing for the fragile lung compared to the robotic staplers available at that time. Despite these precautions, a pinhole air leak occurred in the S8 segment, likely due to unintentional contact with a robotic joint, illustrating the extreme sensitivity of the LAM lung. This was identified via a meticulous sealing test and repaired with polyglycolic acid sheets and fibrin glue. The patient was discharged on POD 5 without persistent air leaks. At 1 year post-surgery, her respiratory function was well-preserved, exceeding predicted values. RATS offers superior visualization for lung cancer surgery in patients with LAM. However, given the extreme fragility of the lung, the selective use of manual buttressed staplers is a vital adjunct to prevent postoperative air leaks. Optimal outcomes depend on a constant awareness of lung fragility, a hybrid technical strategy, and a rigorous intraoperative sealing test to identify and repair even minor pleural injuries.
To study the clinical efficacy of robot-assisted stereotactic hematoma puncture and fragmentation in the treatment of moderate basal ganglia hemorrhage. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 64 cases of basal ganglia hemorrhage (BGH) patients admitted to the 901st Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force from October 1st 2023 to June 1st 2025. The experimental group (n = 34) received robot-assisted stereotactic puncture and aspiration drainage, while the control group (n = 30) underwent traditional manual CT-guided hematoma puncture and catheter placement for aspiration drainage. The two groups were compared in terms of operative time, hematoma clearance rate, number of urokinase instillations, drainage tube retention duration, as well as NICU hospitalization duration, mannitol usage duration, 72-hour cerebral edema volume, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scales (NIHSS) score, Activities of Daily Living (ADL) score at 1 month postoperatively, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months postoperatively, and complication rates. Compared with the control group, the experimental group demonstrated statistically significant improvements during treatment, including reduced pulmonary infection rates, shorter NICU hospitalization duration, decreased mannitol usage duration, reduced 72-hour cerebral edema volume, significantly improved postoperative GCS and NIHSS scores, better ADL scores at 1 month postoperatively, and better (lower) mRS scores at 3 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). Robot-assisted stereotactic minimally invasive puncture and aspiration for basal ganglia hemorrhage catheterization provides more precise and thorough hematoma evacuation, reduces postoperative complication rates, and significantly promotes postoperative neurological recovery.
Robotic arm-assisted joint arthroplasty has seen an increase in its popularity internationally. Image-based systems, such as the Mako robotic arm-assisted system, require a preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan to be performed. These scans may detect incidental findings, which can place additional burden on both patients and healthcare providers. A retrospective cohort study was performed to quantify the prevalence and significance of orthopaedic and nonorthopaedic incidental findings on CT scans obtained using the Mako CT protocol. All preoperative CT scans performed using this protocol between December 2018 and December 2024 for patients undergoing elective primary joint arthroplasty at the institution were included. Clinically significant findings were defined as any new and unexpected results which required invasive workup, surgical management, or had a direct negative impact on life expectancy. Of 1,446 CT reports reviewed, 738 (51.0%) contained 1 or more incidental findings. Rates were highest in the total hip arthroplasty (THA) cohort (71.1%), followed by the unicompartmental knee arthroplasty cohort (51.4%) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) cohort (42.7%). Only 4 (0.3%) incidental findings were deemed clinically significant, all within the TKA cohort. These findings led to surgical delay in 2 cases and cancellation in 1 case. Incidental findings are common in preoperative CT scans performed for Mako robotic arm-assisted joint arthroplasty, particularly in THA patients. However, clinically significant findings are rare and infrequently alter surgical time frames. Surgeons should remain aware of the potential ethical and medicolegal implications of these findings. Level IV, Diagnostic. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Non-restorative surgical options for rectal cancer patients when primary anastomosis is not suitable, Hartmann's procedure (HP) or intersphincteric abdominoperineal excision (IAPE) are common. Previous studies suggest higher pelvic sepsis after HP, but no data exist comparing exclusively robot-assisted approaches. This retrospective study included rectal cancer patients with significant comorbidities precluding anastomosis. Those patients underwent robot-assisted HP or IAPE at Odense University Hospital (2012-2022). Demographic, 30-day postoperative medical and surgical complications, reoperation, readmission, and 90-day mortality were analysed. A total 224 patients were included (HP: n = 57; IAPE: n = 167), HP patients were older (77.0 ± 9.3 vs. 71.7 ± 11.5 years, p = 0.002) and had higher ASA scores (p = 0.001). Postoperative medical complications were low and comparable in both groups. Intra abdominal abscess was also comparable (3.5% for HP vs. 5.4% for IAPE, p = 0.832) Perineal wound infection still present in the IAPE group (6.6%) and perineal pain at 14 day was relatively high (11.4%) after IAPE. No significant difference was observed in the rate of readmission, reoperation and 90-day mortality. Complications rates did not significantly differ between HP and IAPE. However, IAPE was associated with perineal wound-related morbidity. In patents unfit for anastomosis, robot-assisted HP may considered a better and safer alternative for IAPE.
Understanding the physical interaction with wearable robots is essential to ensure safety and comfort. However, this interaction is complex in two key aspects: (1) the motion involved, and (2) the non-linear behaviour of soft tissues. Multiple approaches have been undertaken to better understand this interaction and to improve the quantitative metrics of physical interfaces or cuffs. As these two topics are closely interrelated, finite modelling and soft tissue characterisation offer valuable insights into pressure distribution and shear stress induced by the cuff. Nevertheless, current characterisation methods typically rely on a single fitting variable along one degree of freedom, which limits their applicability, given that interactions with wearable robots often involve multiple degrees of freedom. To address this limitation, this work introduces a dual-variable characterisation method, involving normal and tangential forces, aimed at identifying reliable material parameters and evaluating the impact of single-variable fitting on force and torque responses. This method demonstrates the importance of incorporating two variables into the characterisation process by analysing the normalised mean square error (NMSE) across different scenarios and material models, providing a foundation for simulation at the closest possible level, with a focus on the cuff and the human limb involved in the physical interaction between the user and the wearable robot.
This paper presents a robotic upper-limb rehabilitation exoskeleton for individuals with upper-limb motor impairments in the middle-to-late stages of rehabilitation. The exoskeleton features a metamorphic mechanical architecture capable of switching among four metamorphic configurations: shoulder adduction/abduction (SA/A), shoulder flexion/extension (SF/E), elbow flexion/extension (EF/E), and forearm pronation/supination (FP/S). For hierarchical assistance, a termite life cycle optimizer-tuned support vector machine (TLCO-SVM) is developed for metamorphic-configuration recognition, and a TLCO-optimized long short-term memory network (TLCO-LSTM) is proposed to predict the desired jointangle trajectory. Based on the recognized configuration and the predicted desired joint-angle trajectory, a deep deterministic policy gradient-based adaptive impedance controller is developed to generate assistive torques and support compliant physical human-robot interaction. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the proposed recognition, prediction, and control framework. The TLCO-SVM achieves an average classification accuracy of 98.10%. The TLCO-LSTM achieves root mean square errors (RMSEs) of 2.71° (SA/A), 2.41° (SF/E), 3.47° (EF/E), and 5.19° (FP/S), respectively. Assistive-torque tracking RMSEs are 0.2497 Nm, 0.2252 Nm, 0.1130 Nm, and 0.3423 Nm for SA/A, SF/E, EF/E, and FP/S, respectively.
Emulsion Janus droplets containing magnetic nanoparticles can be used as soft magnetic robots. If the densities of the immiscible liquids comprising the Janus droplets differ significantly, the Janus droplets acquire a non-spherical shape in a gravitational field. Due to the anisotropic structure, such droplets may possess unique properties necessary for creating "smart liquids." VDL 100 oil and fluocarbon oil Fluorinert FC-40, whose densities differ significantly, are used to create non-spherical magnetic Janus droplets. The VDL 100 oil contains paramagnetic nanoparticles Fe3O4. Using a microfluidic chip, an emulsion oil/oil//water containing spherical monodisperse droplets was obtained. When exposed to a gravitational and magnetic field for several days, the spherical droplets transform into non-spherical quasi-stable Janus droplets. Due to the difference in density between hydrocarbon oil and fluocarbon oil, spherical binary emulsion droplets in a gravity field, under the influence of the buoyancy force, acquire a dumbbell-shaped form. Under the combined action of a gravity and magnetic field, the droplets acquire a barrel-shaped form. Such droplets can be used as soft robots for carrying loads and for mixing liquids in microreactors. Emulsions with barrel-shaped droplets can be used to create "smart liquids" whose light transmittance can be varied using a magnetic field.
Port-site metastasis (PSM) is a rare complication of laparoscopic and robotic assisted oncologic surgery. The da Vinci Single-Port (SP) platform (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) is increasingly utilized for urologic procedures including radical cystectomy, and given the need for fewer port sites, this should theoretically confer a lower risk for PSM. Here we describe a 74-year-old female with high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC) of the bladder who underwent single-port robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (SP-RARC) and developed a metachronous metastatic nodule at her port site incision. To our knowledge, this represents the first reported case of PSM after SP-RARC.