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BACKGROUND Within the surgical field, there has been an evolution in the application of robotic technology. Semi-autonomous robotic systems and augmented visualization tools are being introduced and may eventually replace existing surgical extenders, such as the da Vinci surgical system. However, little is known about the public perception of these newer technologies within medical care. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to investigate public perceptions toward robotic surgeries with varying levels of autonomy through a technology acceptance model. METHODS An online survey was distributed via the Amazon MTurk platform. Survey participants were provided definitions of robotic surgical extenders: technology without independent actions; semi-autonomous robotic surgery: technology that provides guidance to the surgeon and requires surgeon input; and fully autonomous robotic surgery: technology which performs tasks autonomously without direct human interaction. The survey assessed attitudes towards each application of robotic technology in surgery. Structural equation models were built to identify associations between perceived usefulness, social risk, time risk, personal risk, and reliability with overall attitudes towards robotic surgeries. RESULTS A total of 1221 survey responses were recorded (age 38±12 years, 52% female). Individuals were more willing to accept robotic surgical extenders and semi-autonomous robotic surgery compared to autonomous robotic surgery. Higher levels of education and better self-reported health were correlated with more positive attitudes towards robotic surgery. Perceptions of these technologies were not associated with age or income. Overall, attitudes towards robotic technologies in surgery were driven by views on their reliability, safety, and efficiency. CONCLUSIONS The public is more accepting of semi-autonomous surgery and surgical extenders than fully autonomous surgery. Overall attitudes appear to be driven by perceptions of the reliability, safety, and efficiency of these technologies. Understanding these perspectives can help guide patient education within an advancing surgical field.
Shen et al. (Thu,) studied this question.