Surgeons perform a procedure using the MARS platform with an AI-guided surgical camera, as the screen shows real-time visualization inside the patient’s body. | Source: Levita Magnetics
Levita Magnetics announced yesterday that a surgeon has used its MARS surgical robotics platform to perform the world’s first gallbladder procedure using its AI-guided autonomous surgical camera. The surgery was performed at Clínica Las Condes, a premium private center in in Santiago, Chile.
“This milestone shows how far magnetic-assisted surgery has come and where it’s headed,” said Alberto Rodriguez Navarro, M.D., founder and CEO of Levita Magnetics. “By integrating artificial intelligence into the MARS platform, we are delivering the first true step toward surgical autonomy, changing how complex procedures are performed and how patients experience surgery.”
Founded in 2011, Levita Magnetics has developed minimally invasive platforms to improve precision while reducing invasiveness. The MARS platform uses precision, magnetic technology, and AI to autonomously guide a camera throughout the procedure.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company also provides the Magnetic Surgical System (MSS), which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for gallbladder, bariatric, prostate, colorectal, and hiatal hernia procedures. Combined, the two systems enable less-invasive, controlled abdominal surgeries by combining dynamic magnetic positioning with advanced instrumentation, asserted Levita.
MARS promises to raise standard of care
Levita Magnetics said it built the MARS system for procedures where efficiency, access, and outcomes are critical. This includes bariatric and gallbladder surgeries performed millions of times each year. By combining magnetic technology with robotics, the system enables smaller incisions, fewer instruments, and reduced staffing requirements, ultimately raising standards of care, the company claimed.
By reducing manual camera control, Levita said the MARS system can enhance stability and provide surgeons with a clearer, uninterrupted field of vision. This is critical in high-volume operations, such as cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), it said. In this case, MARS used a latest-generation Stryker 1788 4K camera.
Levita said this latest operation builds on its growing momentum. In June 2025, the FDA broadened indications for MARS to include bariatric and hiatal hernia repair. This extends the company’s reach into some of the most common abdominal surgeries. A month later, Levita announced that surgeons worldwide completed more than 1,000 cases using the MARS system.
In addition, the company won a 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for a dual-robot surgery that successfully removed a human prostate. The procedure used the MARS platform to maneuver internal organs.
Levita ensures surgeons always have the right view with AI
Minimally invasive surgery has always depended on precise visualization. Traditionally, this required a camera assistant to manually adjust angles at the surgeon’s request. Levita Magnetics said the MARS system advances this by giving surgeons direct control of the camera.
With the introduction of AI, MARS autonomously maintains visualization of the surgical field, said Levita. This allows it to ensure uninterrupted focus, steadier imaging, and a more efficient workflow in the operating room.
“With the MARS system, I already have direct control of the camera without relying on a first assistant,” said Dr. Ricardo Funke, chief of surgery at Clínica Las Condes in Santiago. “Now, with AI, the system can automatically keep my instruments in view. That autonomy gives me a stable, precise field of vision and allows me to focus entirely on the surgery itself.”
“Looking ahead, this kind of autonomy has the potential to save time in the operating room, reduce staffing needs, and ultimately lower costs for hospitals while improving patient outcomes,” he added.
The use of Meta Quest headsets and 3D visualization have demonstrated a real-world application of augmented reality in the operating room, noted Levita Magnetics. The company cited the combination of MARS with another leading surgical robot for a prostate procedure.
By embedding AI into surgical workflows, Levita said it’s moving toward a future where digital assistance evolves into broader robotic integration. This allows it to support surgeons with not only steadier visualization but also intelligent, autonomous functions.
The autonomous camera is not yet cleared for use in the U.S. and is not currently available for sale.
SITE AD for the 2025 RoboBusiness registration open.
