Beyond the sky: artificial intelligence in robotic surgery for mission to Mars and possible development on Earth

Among future missions to Mars, a first landing on the red planet is scheduled for 2030 and the first human settlement in 2032. The health of the astronauts, during the long journey to the planet and after landing, is a major concern due to the prolonged and extreme stress conditions to which their body will be subject. Unforeseen events or issues requiring surgery could jeopardize the entire mission and pose a risk to the life of crew-members. To date, the presence of an experienced surgeon in the crew is the most desirable option but it cannot be taken for granted. In a paper by Martin et al , it is explained that in deep space class missions, the onboard health care provider needs to be near the patient, supported by ground based surgical advisors, plus data store forward transmission, still image exchanges , voice conferencing, and electronic chats. An “intelligent medical system” will assist the CMO with the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of sick crew members. In case of particularly challenging events the CMO can turn to an onboard dedicated library for support but he/she may still benefit from any other technological advance, as, for example, a new generation robot. In the future, space robots are expected to have a higher degree of autonomy in performing tasks like surgical procedures as suturing or providing help in diagnostics. The definition of Autonomy, according to the International Organization for Standardization, is: “an ability to perform intended tasks based on current state and sensing without human intervention”. Their evolution in space surgery and the new achievements related to “artificial intelligence” (AI) are of great interest not only for space, but also for possible terrestrial clinical applications.