SurgTwin Workshop — IROS 2026

About the Workshop

Bridging perception, simulation, and learning within the emerging paradigm of surgical digital twins.

This workshop brings together researchers across robotics, computer-assisted intervention, and machine learning to examine emerging directions in digital twins for surgical robotics. The primary objective is to explore how perception, simulation, and learning can be integrated within a unified digital twin framework to support robotic perception, planning, control, and intraoperative decision-making.

The workshop will feature invited talks, peer-reviewed contributed presentations, and moderated panel discussions centered on open challenges such as real-time deployment, multimodal fusion, physics-based modeling and simulation, generalization across procedures, benchmarking, and safety-critical validation.

Workshop Themes

The technical program is organized around three complementary themes reflecting the state of the art and key open challenges.

Theme 01

Perception & Representation Learning

Multimodal perception from surgical video, robotic kinematics, force sensing, and imaging. Structured representation learning, scene understanding, and modeling of tool–tissue interactions.

Theme 02

Simulation & Digital Twin Modeling

Physics-aware modeling of deformable anatomy, data-driven and differentiable simulation, hybrid and reduced-order formulations, uncertainty modeling, and real-time perception–simulation–control loops.

Theme 03

Learning & Generative Methods

Generative models and world models for prediction, planning, and data augmentation. Closed-loop robot learning, sim-to-real transfer, and data-efficient learning strategies for surgical robotics.

Invited Speakers

Confirmed and invited speakers will be announced here.

Dr. Yueming Jin

Assistant Professor

National University of Singapore, Singapore

Theme 1: Perception & Representation Learning Website

Dr. Prajval Kumar Murali

AI & Robotics R&D Scientist

ZEISS, Germany

Theme 1: Perception & Representation Learning Website

Dr. Sean Huver

Principal ML Engineer and Sr. Manager

NVIDIA, USA

Theme 2: Simulation & Digital Twin Modeling Website

Dr. Christian Duriez

Research Director & CEO

Inria & Compliance Robotics, France

Theme 2: Simulation & Digital Twin Modeling Website

Dr. Michael Yip

Associate Professor

University of California San Diego, USA

Theme 3: Learning & Generative Methods Website

Tentative Schedule

A half-day program combining invited talks, lightning talks, spotlight presentations, and a panel discussion.

Time	Event	Type
08:30 – 08:40	Opening Remarks
08:40 – 09:00	Dr. Yueming Jin — Theme 1: Perception & Representation Learning	Talk
09:00 – 09:20	Dr. Prajval Kumar Murali — Theme 1: Perception & Representation Learning	Talk
09:20 – 09:50	Dr. Sean Huver — Theme 2: The Generative AI Flywheel for Healthcare Robotics	Talk
09:50 – 10:20	Coffee Break & Poster Session	Break Poster
10:20 – 10:35	Lightning Talk — Dr. Fei Liu	Lightning
10:35 – 10:55	Dr. Christian Duriez — Theme 2: Simulation & Digital Twin Modeling	Talk
10:55 – 11:25	Dr. Michael Yip — Theme 3: Learning & Generative Methods	Talk
11:25 – 11:50	Contributed Spotlight Presentations	Spotlight
11:50 – 12:15	Panel Discussion — Open Challenges in Surgical Digital Twins	Panel
12:15 – 12:30	Closing Remarks & Best Paper Award

Call for Papers

We invite original contributions on the following topics and related areas.

Topics of Interest

Multimodal perception for surgical scenes (video, kinematics, force, imaging)
Structured representation learning and scene understanding
Tool–tissue interaction modeling
Physics-aware and differentiable simulation of deformable anatomy
Hybrid and reduced-order digital twin formulations
Uncertainty modeling for surgical simulation
Real-time perception–simulation–control integration
Generative and world models for surgical prediction and planning
Sim-to-real transfer and domain adaptation for surgical robotics
Data-efficient and closed-loop robot learning
Benchmarking and safety-critical validation

OpenReview

Submit Your Paper

Contributed papers and extended abstracts undergo peer review. Accepted work will be presented as spotlight talks or posters. The submission portal opens once important dates are finalized.

Submit on OpenReview

Submission Guidelines

Contributed papers and extended abstracts will undergo peer review by a multidisciplinary program committee. Accepted contributions will be presented as spotlight talks or posters. Detailed submission instructions will be posted soon.