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Yanpei Huang

Title: Human Augmentation in Robotic Surgery: From Hands-Free Interfaces to Trimanual Task Taxonomy

Abstract
Robotic movement augmentation enables surgeons to control more than two instruments at once, opening new possibilities for solo trimanual surgery. This talk presents recent developments in hands-free human–machine interfaces that allow surgeons to operate supernumerary robotic instruments while keeping both hands on primary tools. The discussion will cover design principles, user study findings, and strategies to reduce cognitive and physical load. To contextualise interface requirements, the talk will reference an existing taxonomy of trimanual tasks that classifies multi-instrument coordination patterns by coupling and dependency. Combining intuitive hands-free control with structured task understanding can help advance the integration of human augmentation into robotic surgery.

The talk was delivered as part of Sussex AI seminar series on 8th October 2025. You can watch the recording on our YouTube.

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