Danail Stoyanov, MICCAI Fellow 2023

Danail Stoyanov became a Fellow of the MICCAI Society in 2023 for contributions made to computer assisted interventions, medical robotics and computer vision techniques for surgical scene understanding and to the MICCAI community. His research is focused on developing surgical robotics and artificial intelligence for improving minimally invasive interventions. He currently serves on the MICCAI Society Board of Directors where he is Co-Chair of the Conference Affairs Working Group.

Danail Stoyanov is a Professor of Robot Vision at the Department of Computer Science at University College London where he is Co-Director of the UCL Hawkes Institute and Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies. He is also Chief Scientist, Digital Technologies, Medtronic and co-founder of Odin Vision Ltd, Panda Surgical Ltd and EnAcuity Ltd.

Prof. Stoyanov is also a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng), the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (FIEEE) and the Institute of Engineering and Technology (FIET).

Q. Thank you for offering your insights and experiences for this Q&A, Danail, and congratulations on your accomplishments! Before we dive into your research, could you tell us about your journey? What experiences or motivations led you to pursue robot vision and its applications in surgery?

A. It was all rather accidental. During studies, I realised I enjoyed technical research and then was inspired by engineering and clinical mentors who had the idea to work in surgical robotics. After that, I think I have just taken chances and opportunities to work on problems that I thought were interesting and potentially impactful.

Q: As Professor of Robot Vision at University College London, could you explain what robot vision encompasses and how it is being used to advance surgical and interventional technologies?

A: Vision is one of our key senses. Many of us use it to navigate, make decisions, enjoy art and many other key functions of our daily lives. Robot vision is about creating these capabilities for robotic systems and allowing understanding of vision signals through computer processing, algorithms, AI etc.

In surgery, this is really important as many surgical procedures are done using a camera either inserted into the body or observing it from outside using light or other energy.

Q: How have surgical instruments changed with the integration of robotics and AI in the last five years?

A: The use of robotic instruments has rapidly grown in almost all surgical specialties, and the trend is very likely to continue with many new companies offering a surgical robotic platforms and instruments. There are several key areas that are in exploration – automation; telesurgery; flexible and endoluminal robotics; and of course AI-enhanced surgery.

Q: In addition to your faculty position at UCL, you are also co-founder of Odin Vision Ltd and lead AI R&D at Medtronic’s Surgical business. What are some examples of how your academic work has been applied in commercial applications?

A: It has been amazing to see AI-based workflow analysis of surgical procedures become the cornerstone of Touch Surgery Enterprise. A Medtronic product which is now part of the operating room in many countries worldwide allowing surgeons to gain deeper insight from their practice. Similarly, the early research which led to creating Odin Vision, which was catalyzed at MICCAI and the through the EndoVis challenges, is now part of many Olympus endoscopes and also used across the globe to enhance upper and lower GI procedures.

Q: What excites you about pursuing this line of work, and what motivates you to continue driving innovation in medical robotics and AI?

A: At the moment, I am most excited about seeing research enter the clinic and turn into new capabilities. It can take many years to see the impact and effect of technology on medicine and sometimes surgery can be slower than other fields to change. I think we are at a stage where we will see how some of the early research is helping healthcare and patients.

But I am hoping that once my current motivation draws to some conclusion(s), that I return to the early excitement in technology and technical innovation that was my main driver in early research years.

Q: What challenges do you think can be overcome in the next 5 years with advancements in robotic vision?

A: I think in 5 years’ time, every surgical operating room in the world, will have some form of robot vision and AI-assisted technology. I hope this means better surgery and better outcomes for patients!

Q: What role does the MICCAI Society, as well as the annual MICCAI conference, play—or have the capacity to play—in supporting and advancing your scientific work?

A: The MICCAI Society and the MICCAI conference have influenced and shaped my work from day one. It was the first conference I attended; the first venue I published a research paper; and it remains my yearly “main event” in scientific meetings. Meeting bright new students, seeing the latest ideas and applications, and nowadays spending time with close friends, it is all a core part of my research career.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A: Just that I massively look forward to seeing everyone in Abu Dhabi, UAE for MICCAI 2026 and in Auckland, New Zealand for MICCAI 2027 as a start.

We are too Danail! Thank you again.