How AI-driven robotics is transforming healthcare in Saudi Arabia

How AI-driven robotics is transforming healthcare in Saudi Arabia
AI is an invaluable tool, providing insights that improve our decision- making in the operating room, said Dr. Feras Khaliel, Head of cardiac surgery and director of robotics at KFSHRC. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 17 October 2024
Follow

How AI-driven robotics is transforming healthcare in Saudi Arabia

How AI-driven robotics is transforming healthcare in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Robots have lived among us for years, from our factory assembly lines to the autonomous vehicles sorting our parcels. Now, with rapid advances in artificial intelligence, our robot companions are taking on even more sophisticated tasks — even heart surgery.

With their precision and steadiness of hand, robots are able to perform delicate procedures often beyond the abilities of even the most skilled human surgeons, proving less invasive for the patient, offering faster recovery times, and reducing the risk of post-op infection.

According to the World Economic Forum, the market for robot-assisted surgery is expected to surpass $14 billion by 2026. Having invested heavily in health sector innovation, Saudi Arabia is already making significant strides in the adoption of AI-driven robotics in medicine.

In September, a cardiac team at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh achieved a historic milestone by performing the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant on a 16-year-old boy who was facing end-stage heart failure.

Dr. Feras Khaliel, head of cardiac surgery and director of the Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at KFSHRC, said the success of the procedure represents a monumental leap in robot-assisted surgery, and highlights AI’s game-changing role.

“AI is an invaluable tool,” Khaliel told Arab News. “It allows us to process a substantial amount of data in real time, providing insights that improve our decision-making in the operating room. But it’s not replacing surgeons — it’s enhancing what we can do.”

The surgery was conducted using the Da Vinci Surgical System, a robotic platform renowned for its precision and control, developed by the US biotechnology company Intuitive Surgical.

Combined with AI, it provides real-time analytics during surgery, continuously processing data, offering clinical insights, and allowing for instant adjustments.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Saudi Arabia performed the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center.

2. The surgery used the Da Vinci Surgical System, renowned for its precision and real-time analytics.

3. Robotic surgery offers less invasive procedures, faster recovery times, and reduced post-operative risks.

4. KFSHRC ranks among the top five centers for robotic heart procedures globally, with a 98% survival rate.


Da Vinci Xi is the world’s most widely used multiport robotic surgery system, able to perform a wide array of medical procedures.

The system’s robotic arms, guided by human hands, allow doctors to operate through tiny incisions, thereby avoiding the open-chest incisions normally required for major heart surgery.

“We’ve always known the potential of robotic systems, but seeing it applied to something as intricate as a heart transplant was extraordinary,” said Khaliel. “The precision we achieved would have been impossible using conventional techniques.”

By incorporating AI, the team was able to make critical decisions with extreme accuracy, responding instantly to any changes in the patient’s condition.

To ensure the patient’s safety, the team conducted rigorous preoperative simulations, practicing the entire procedure seven times over three consecutive days. This allowed them to define every step and minimize potential complications.

Each step of the surgery was calibrated for precision. The robotic instruments underwent multiple tests to ensure optimal performance, and the team continuously monitored the data system throughout the procedure.

This minimally invasive approach not only reduced the risk of complications, but also significantly shortened the patient’s recovery time and minimized scarring, marking a major advancement in transplant surgery.

“The success of this groundbreaking surgery really came down to a few key elements; the advanced technology, meticulous planning, rigorous simulations, and flawless team coordination,” said Khaliel.

Data collected during the surgery — such as precision metrics, patient response, and system performance indicators — will be analyzed to refine future techniques. This will not only improve the robotic surgery program, but also contribute to broader research in robotic transplants.

Khaliel believes AI will play a growing role in surgery, becoming a real-time partner in the operating room, offering predictive insights and optimizing surgical pathways. Indeed, human surgeons will continue to have a place, applying their expertise and intuition.

The advent of AI-driven robotics will, however, transform how he and his colleagues work together as a team and will demand highly specialized technical skills and proficiencies in the use of advanced robotics and the ability to interpret data-driven insights provided by AI.

KFSHRC is no stranger to medical firsts. With more than 400 robotic cardiac surgeries already under its belt, the hospital ranks among the top five centers for robotic heart procedures worldwide.

Its Robotic Cardiac Surgery Program has achieved a 98 percent survival rate, performing complex surgeries such as multi-valve operations and aortic valve replacements.

The success of this latest robotic heart transplant opens the way for more complex procedures to be performed with greater safety and efficiency.

KFSHRC’s leadership in robotics and AI not only improves patient outcomes, but also positions the Kingdom as an emerging world leader in healthcare innovation.

 


The Saudi artist giving traditional crafts a new voice

The Saudi artist giving traditional crafts a new voice
Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

The Saudi artist giving traditional crafts a new voice

The Saudi artist giving traditional crafts a new voice
  • Fatimah Al-Nemer honors generational knowledge through collaborations with Saudi craftswomen

RIYADH: What if traditional crafts were not relics of the past but blueprints for the future? Saudi artist Fatimah Al-Nemer, whose work is on show at Riyadh’s Naila Art Gallery, transforms ancestral materials into contemporary narratives, blending palm fronds, clay, and wool with concept and meaning.

For Al-Nemer, heritage is not something to simply preserve behind glass. It is something to touch, reshape and retell. And traditional crafts are far more than manual skills; they are living archives.

“In the Arabian Peninsula, people adapted to their environment by turning clay, palm fronds, and wool into tools for survival and then into objects of timeless beauty,” she told Arab News.

Saudi Arabia’s traditional crafts, shaped over generations, carry stories that Fatimah Al-Nemer reinterprets through contemporary art techniques. (Supplied)

These crafts, shaped over generations, carry stories that Al-Nemer reinterprets through contemporary art.

Her project, Al-Kar, exemplifies this approach. Named after the traditional climbing tool used by date harvesters, the piece was created in collaboration with Saudi craftswomen.

Al-Nemer transformed humble palm fibers into a three-meter-long rug, elevating simple material into a conceptual installation.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Through her work, Fatimah Al-Nemer dissolves the boundaries between craft and art, heritage and modernity.

• Those curious about the artist’s work can view some of her pieces at solo exhibition ‘Memory of Clay,’ held at Naila Art Gallery until May 30.

“This is not merely an aesthetic celebration,” she said. “It’s a rewriting of our communal identity. Our heritage is rich — not only in materials, but in stories.”

Artist Fatima Al-Nemer with her artworks. (Supplied)

Her work goes beyond decorative craft; she treats traditional practices as conceptual frameworks, weaving narratives through textiles, clay and palm fiber.

Her collaborations with artisans ensure that generational knowledge is embedded in each piece. “The material is never separate from the experience,” she added. “It becomes witness — marked by the presence of women, place and memory.”

Participation in international exhibitions has expanded Al-Nemer’s artistic outlook, allowing her to view local materials like clay and textiles as globally resonant.

This is not merely an aesthetic celebration. It’s a rewriting of our communal identity. Our heritage is rich — not only in materials, but in stories.

Fatimah Al-Nemer, Saudi artist

“The global art scene recontextualizes challenges like the marginalization of craft, and transforms them into dialogues about identity and memory,” she said.

For Al-Nemer, craftswomen are not merely implementers, but collaborators. “They carry manual intelligence honed across generations,” she added, commending institutions like Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission and Herfa Association that are now empowering artisans in alignment with the Kingdom’s cultural transformation.

A person contemplates an artwork by Fatima Al-Nemer. (Supplied)

“Craft is no longer confined to the past — it is a living contemporary practice with global relevance,” she said.

Those curious about the artist’s work can view some of her items at solo exhibition “Memory of Clay,” held at Naila Art Gallery until May 30.

The exhibition offers a contemplative journey into themes of memory, belonging and identity transformation, using clay as a visual and cultural symbol.

Artist Fatimah Al-Nemer answers questions from the audience at her exhibition, "Memory of Clay," which runs in Riyadh until May 30. (Supplied)

Featuring 12 works created through mixed media and a combination of traditional and contemporary techniques, Al-Nemer reimagines ancient Saudi crafts through a modernist lens, presenting clay not simply as raw material, but as a timekeeper and silent witness to human evolution.

“Clay is not just a medium,” she said. “It is a mirror of our collective memory, shaped as we are shaped, cracking to reveal hidden layers of nostalgia and wisdom.”

This philosophy materializes in the tactile depth, earthy hues and intricate details that define her works — each piece echoing the raw pulse of life.

To young Saudi women hoping to innovate through craft, Al-Nemer offers this message: “Believe in the value of what you hold. The world doesn’t just want the product — it wants the story behind it.”

With expanding institutional support and evolving creative spaces, the artist sees an opportunity: “Craft can thrive as both art and enterprise as long as authenticity remains at its core.”

Through her work, Al-Nemer dissolves the boundaries between craft and art, heritage and modernity.

Every thread and every texture becomes a testament to identity — crafted by hand, read by the eye and understood by the heart.

 


City Walk brings wildlife encounters to Jeddah

Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers. (AN photo)
Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers. (AN photo)
Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

City Walk brings wildlife encounters to Jeddah

Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers. (AN photo)
  • More than 50 rare and exotic bird species from Indonesia, Australia, Africa, and South America are part of the experience this year

JEDDAH: Nature lovers are heading to the Birds and Reptiles Cave, part of Jeddah Season, at City Walk for a wild experience.

The exhibit, which runs until June 14, presents visitors with an array of exotic animals, from vibrant, free-flying birds to reptiles housed in carefully crafted enclosures. Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers.

Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers. (AN photo)

More than 50 rare and exotic bird species from Indonesia, Australia, Africa, and South America are part of the experience this year.

Mohammed Bukhari, one of the exhibit’s wildlife experts, said, “We offer a unique experience that weaves together the magic and diversity of nature’s wildlife within an entertaining and consumer-friendly environment.”

FASTFACT

More than 50 rare and exotic bird species from Indonesia, Australia, Africa, and South America are part of the Birds and Reptiles Cave.

He emphasized the cave’s broad appeal, noting that it caters to both wildlife enthusiasts and casual visitors. “Parents are increasingly bringing their kids to connect with nature and experience wildlife,” Bukhari added. “From schoolchildren to the elderly, everyone gets rejuvenated and energized after spending some time exploring nature with such birds and reptiles.”

Visitors can touch, feed, and observe tame species under the supervision of experts and handlers. (Supplied)

Hamdaan Al Buadaani from Taif, who visited the cave with his son, said: “My son was very happy to see birds flying over his head, holding little snakes in his hand, touching the big and small turtles and getting up close with macaws, owls, kangaroo and monkeys.”

Adel Al-Mansouri, who visited with his family, praised the cave as a great outing for children. “It is an ideal place to view reptiles and birds,” he said. “There is a good variety of birds and reptiles and my kids were so happy to touch and play with birds.”

 


Saudi e-game developers shine at Riyadh’s ‘Zero to Hero’ bootcamp

Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation. (SPA)
Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation. (SPA)
Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

Saudi e-game developers shine at Riyadh’s ‘Zero to Hero’ bootcamp

Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation. (SPA)
  • The 12-week bootcamp aimed to enhance participants’s skills in game design and development while exploring industry trends, challenges, and opportunities

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority concluded the “Zero to Hero” gaming bootcamp by recognizing three winning teams for their standout entrepreneurial ideas in the electronic gaming sector.

Held at the authority’s support center in Riyadh, the event was attended by Deputy Gov. for Entrepreneurship Saud Al-Sabhan, along with industry experts and specialists.

Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation. (SPA)

Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

The event drew wide participation, with attendees showcasing their projects to a select group of experts and investors, the SPA added.

Teams Hanka, Nomad, and AlUla were honored for their excellence in game design, development, and innovation. (SPA)

The 12-week bootcamp aimed to enhance participants’s skills in game design and development while exploring industry trends, challenges, and opportunities.

Out of 148 applicants, 10 projects advanced, benefiting from 47 specialized workshops that boosted their technical and creative capabilities.

The program unfolded in four phases: an introduction to the bootcamp, intensive game development training, prototype creation, and final project presentations before a panel of experts and investors.

The initiative reflects the authority’s commitment to advancing the Kingdom’s gaming industry by nurturing local talent, fostering innovation, and empowering entrepreneurs to compete on regional and global levels.

 


Riyadh’s science oasis hosts global researchers

King Salman Science Oasis is a scientific center focused on presenting science in an accessible and educational way. (SPA)
King Salman Science Oasis is a scientific center focused on presenting science in an accessible and educational way. (SPA)
Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

Riyadh’s science oasis hosts global researchers

King Salman Science Oasis is a scientific center focused on presenting science in an accessible and educational way. (SPA)
  • The delegation was briefed on the oasis’ key initiatives and programs, which help to support a culture of innovation to advance scientific research

RIYADH: King Salman Science Oasis in Riyadh has hosted a high-level delegation from the Global Research Council, including leaders and experts in research, development, and innovation.

The visit coincided with the council’s 13th annual meeting — held for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region — in Riyadh from May 18-22, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

An interactive session during the visit aimed to inspire scientific enthusiasm and foster innovation among future researchers.

The delegation was briefed on the oasis’ key initiatives and programs, which help to support a culture of innovation to advance scientific research.

Visitors praised the Kingdom’s commitment to investing in human capital and knowledge, aligned with the goals of Vision 2030.

Hosting the council’s annual meeting highlighted the Kingdom’s growing role as a hub for research, development, and innovation, and its rising prominence regionally and globally, according to the SPA.

King Salman Science Oasis is a scientific center focused on presenting science in an accessible and educational way. It offers activities across science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics for various groups in society.

 


Earliest use of harmal plant discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk

The harmal plant, known locally as rue, is recognized for its antibacterial and healing properties. (SPA)
The harmal plant, known locally as rue, is recognized for its antibacterial and healing properties. (SPA)
Updated 24 May 2025
Follow

Earliest use of harmal plant discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk

The harmal plant, known locally as rue, is recognized for its antibacterial and healing properties. (SPA)
  • The research was conducted jointly by the Saudi Heritage Commission, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, and the University of Vienna in Austria

RIYADH: A study published in the journal Communications Biology has revealed the earliest known use of the harmal plant (peganum harmala) — dating back about 2,700 years to the Iron Age — is based on findings from the ancient settlement of Qurayyah in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk region, according to the Saudi Heritage Commission.

The research was conducted jointly by the Saudi Heritage Commission, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, and the University of Vienna in Austria. It examined the therapeutic and social aspects of ancient practices in the Arabian Peninsula.

The harmal plant, known locally as rue, is recognized for its antibacterial and healing properties. (SPA)

Using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, researchers analyzed organic residues inside pottery incense burners and detected alkaloids from the harmal plant, providing evidence of its use in fumigation rituals for therapeutic purposes.

The harmal plant, known locally as rue, is recognized for its antibacterial and healing properties. Its use at Qurayyah suggests early medicinal knowledge and traditional practices in the region.

This discovery highlights the cultural and therapeutic traditions of the Arabian Peninsula and helps to support the commission’s collaboration with international researchers.

The study aligns with the Saudi Ministry of Culture’s efforts to promote research that advances the understanding of history and the cultural heritage of the Arabian Peninsula.