The 17th Annual Congress of the Chinese Orthopaedic Association, one of the world's most influential orthopedic gatherings, concluded on Nov 16 in Tianjin after bringing together global experts under the theme "Smart Ortho, Pioneering Frontiers". The event's standout moment came when Great Robotics demonstrated its NewDawn AI-Powered Endoscopic Surgical Robot Platform, performing the world's first public, fully autonomous spinal surgery.

From assisted to autonomous: The next surgical shift

Where surgical robots have often been limited to isolated tasks, the industry is rapidly moving toward integrated platforms that unify preoperative planning, real-time imaging, robotic execution, and postoperative assessment into one seamless workflow.

Great Robotics has delivered a compelling vision of this future with its NewDawn robotic platform. By uniting AI-driven planning, real-time 3D imaging, and dual-robotic execution into a single digital loop, it delivers a new standard of precision and autonomy.

Professor Zhou Yue, MD, Chinese chairman of International Society for Minimal Intervention in Spinal Surgery, described the system as "transformative". "NewDawn deeply integrates AI, robotics, and intraoperative imaging into a 'perception-decision-execution-validation' digital loop, transforming surgery from an experience-based practice into a quantifiable, replicable, and optimizable science," he said.

Professor Liu Xinyu, MD, vice-president of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, and director of the hospital's spine surgery department, emphasized its broader impact: "NewDawn is the first orthopedic robot that supports force-feedback control and participates throughout the entire surgery. It doesn't just assist the surgeon — it collaborates. This redefines what's possible in orthopedics."

Live demonstration: Two arms, one intelligent system

The live demonstration was a highlight of the congress. With a single command, NewDawn's dual robotic arms worked in unison — one identifying anatomy with sub-millimeter accuracy, the other performing surgical actions smoothly and autonomously.

Professor Ma Xuexiao, MD, vice-president of Orthopedic Hospital under the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, said: "NewDawn gives us the confidence to make minimally invasive surgery a standard across all orthopedic procedures – not just a specialty skill. This allows large medical institutions to deliver high-quality outcomes consistently and at scale."

Beyond localization: A step toward technological sovereignty

In a competitive market, Great Robotics has chosen to build not just a device, but a complete smart-surgery ecosystem.

The NewDawn robotic solution incorporates an all-electric mobile imaging system, including – the NewDawn 3D – which providing 0.16mm ultra-high-definition scanning and low-dose real-time registration. Its AI planning module automatically generates patient-specific surgical plans, while the dual-arm robot with force feedback ensures sub-millimeter accuracy. A postoperative assessment module then delivers quantitative feedback through multi-modal data fusion. This integrated, full-process design represents a shift from device assistance to true platform empowerment.

Professor Ding Yu, MD, director of the department of orthopedics at the Six Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, emphasized the strategic implications: "NewDawn moves beyond import substitution. It represents technological sovereignty – mastery over core algorithms, the software ecosystem, and system integration. This secures China's medical data safety, enables independent iteration, and allows rapid customization to local clinical needs. Hospitals aren't just buying a product; they're joining a Chinese-led smart surgery ecosystem."

The annual congress offered a clear vision of the future: the transition from mechanical assistance to intelligent, digital surgery is underway. With platforms like NewDawn, China is not just keeping pace – it is helping write the next chapter in surgical innovation.