Abu Dhabi researchers have won an international award in Italy for an AI system designed to assist surgeons during operations, highlighting another practical UAE healthcare application of artificial intelligence
ABU DHABI: Researchers at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) have won an international award for developing Janus AI, an innovative system designed to assist surgeons by showing relevant footage from previous operations.
The Abu Dhabi research team received the Robotic Urology Breakthrough Innovation Challenge award at the ERUS26 conference, held in Padua, Italy, in September 2026. The achievement was highlighted in reports published on October 23, 2026.
How does the new surgical AI tool work?
The technology works like a specialised video search engine for robotic surgery.
During an operation, the system analyses the current surgical stage and retrieves short clips showing how doctors handled similar procedures previously.
It can display three relevant videos, each approximately 30 seconds long, allowing surgeons to compare different surgical approaches.
The aim is to provide practical guidance when an experienced colleague or mentor is unavailable.
Unlike systems designed to perform surgery independently, this technology supports human decision-making by making previous surgical experience easier to access.
Who developed the award-winning technology?
The project was led by robotics professor Cesare Stefanini at MBZUAI, with postdoctoral researcher Edoardo Fazzari playing a major role in its development.
Researchers collaborated with surgeons from the University of Illinois Chicago, while the University of Turin in Italy also contributed.
The team developed the system to help doctors access useful surgical examples quickly without interrupting their workflow.
The award recognises the potential of artificial intelligence to support medical professionals through practical applications.
Can the AI system improve robotic surgery?
Janus AI currently focuses on robotic urology procedures, including nephrectomies, which involve the surgical removal of a kidney.
By providing examples from previous operations, the system could help trainee surgeons understand complex procedures and assess different approaches.
However, the technology remains under development and has not yet been approved for use during live operations.
Further refinement, clinical evaluation and regulatory approvals will be required before hospitals can introduce it into routine patient care.
Researchers hope to expand the available video library to cover additional surgical specialities.
Impact to expect
The international recognition could strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position in healthcare AI research and encourage further collaboration between universities, hospitals and technology developers. If successfully validated, surgical assistance tools could support medical training, improve access to specialist knowledge and help surgeons make more informed decisions.
What comes next for the UAE’s surgical AI innovation?
The researchers plan to continue developing the platform, expanding its surgical video database and exploring opportunities for commercial partnerships.
The achievement also highlights the growing contribution of UAE-based universities to international medical technology research.
As healthcare organisations explore artificial intelligence, the award-winning project demonstrates how existing surgical knowledge could become more accessible to doctors worldwide.
Its long-term clinical impact will depend on successful testing, regulatory clearance and adoption by healthcare providers.
