BlackBerry QNX is optimistic on robotic surgery but says autonomy isn't here yet - The Robot Report

BlackBerry QNX, known for its critical embedded systems and real-time operating system (QNX OS 8.0), recently released the Age of the Robot study, revealing strong global tech leader trust in robotics, with 77% trusting robots for essential workplace functions and 71% of organizations using or planning to use robotics soon. Jim Hirsch, QNX’s VP for North American and EMEA embedded markets, highlighted the company’s significant role in medical devices, especially in functionally safe robotic systems critical for applications like robotic telesurgery. He emphasized the necessity of real-time responsiveness and safety standards in surgical robotics, noting recent advances such as a successful remote surgery performed between Orlando, Florida, and Angola. Despite progress in robot-assisted surgeries, Hirsch stressed that fully autonomous, AI-driven surgical robots remain years away, drawing parallels to the gradual development of autonomous vehicles that still require human oversight. He underscored that current surgical robots need a human physician responsible for the procedure, and full autonomy in surgery will