# Performance-Guided Surgery:  Robots in the operating room

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2025-09-19
- Length: 1h 05m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-09-19-performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room

## Summary

Dustin Vaughan, VP of R&D for Robotics at Ascensus, discusses the development of the Luna surgical platform and the Senhance system, emphasizing performance-guided surgery and augmented intelligence. He details the integration of AI with Carl Storz, the challenges of regulatory clearance (FDA 510k pathway), and the specific focus on pediatric care with 5mm instruments. The episode also covers Universal Robots' perspective on the new ISO 105018:2025 standards, which shift the focus from 'collaborative robots' to 'collaborative applications' and introduce new safety requirements like 3-position enabling devices.

## Chapters

- [0:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-09-19-performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room#t=9) Introduction: Startup Radar and Robo Business Event
- [6:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-09-19-performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room#t=369) Anders Beck on Universal Robots and ISO 105018:2025 Standards
- [14:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-09-19-performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room#t=872) News: Figure AI Funding and ReThink Robotics Shutdown
- [27:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-09-19-performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room#t=1673) Dustin Vaughan and Ascensus: Luna Platform and Senhance
- [35:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-09-19-performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room#t=2100) Challenges in Real-Time Data and Cybersecurity
- [40:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-09-19-performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room#t=2453) Pediatric Care and 5mm Instrumentation
- [46:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-09-19-performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room#t=2778) Cost Control, Sustainability, and Instrument Reuse
- [51:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-09-19-performance-guided-surgery-robots-in-the-operating-room#t=3067) Future of Surgical Robotics, AI, and Regulatory Hurdles

## Topics

- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Ascensus (company)
- Luna (product)
- Senhance (product)
- Universal Robots (company)
- Figure AI (company)
- ReThink Robotics (company)
- Carl Storz (company)
- Intuitive Surgical (company)
- da Vinci (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 162: The robot doctor will see you now - Robot Talk Live](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-06-26-episode-162-the-robot-doctor-will-see-you-now-robot-talk-live) (Robot Talk)
- [Episode Fifty: Elena De Momi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-05-26-episode-fifty-elena-de-momi) (Robot Talk)
- [Episode Twenty-Five: Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2022-11-11-episode-twenty-five-ferdinando-rodriguez-y-baena) (Robot Talk)
- [Episode One – Medical Robotics: into the operating theatre](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2020-09-25-episode-one-medical-robotics-into-the-operating-theatre) (Robot Talk)
- [Episode Thirty-Three: Dan Stoyanov](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2023-01-20-episode-thirty-three-dan-stoyanov) (Robot Talk)

## Citing this page

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