The Bookout Center - Surgical Technology and Robotics Summit [STaRS] (Oct 26 - 30, 2026) - General Sessions

Houston, TX US
October 26, 2026 to October 30, 2026

The Surgical Technology and Robotics Summit (STaRS 2026) is a five-day program bringing together surgeons, engineers, researchers, and technology leaders to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of surgical technology, robotics, and embodied surgical intelligence. Through clinical education, featured talks, multidisciplinary discussions, and hands-on robotic experiences, STaRS connects emerging technology with real-world surgical practice.

This five-day program is an in-person event only.

Watch The Bookout Center - Surgical Technology and Robotics Summit [STaRS] Video

Target Audience

STaRS is designed for surgeons, physicians, trainees, engineers, researchers, scientists, educators, and healthcare technology professionals interested in surgical robotics, artificial intelligence, medical imaging, immersive technologies, and the future of technology-enabled healthcare.

Learning Objectives

By participating in STaRS 2026, attendees will be able to:

  • Describe emerging developments in surgical robotics, AI, imaging, immersive technologies, and intelligent surgical systems.
  • Explore how new technologies are being applied across multiple surgical specialties and clinical environments.
  • Discuss opportunities and challenges associated with translating emerging technologies into clinical practice.
  • Identify opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration among clinicians, engineers, researchers, and industry partners.

Additional Information

AttachmentSize
PDF icon STaRS Program (Day-by-Day)204.43 KB

Course summary

Course opens: 
12/06/2025
Course expires: 
10/30/2026
Event starts: 
10/26/2026 - 7:00am CDT
Event ends: 
10/30/2026 - 5:00pm CDT
Cost:
$100.00
Rating: 
0

SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY AND ROBOTICS SUMMIT (STaRS 2026)

OCTOBER 26-30, 2026 | THE BOOKOUT CENTER

The Bookout Center - The Home of Embodied Surgical Intelligence

 

MONDAY | OCTOBER 26

From Surgical AI to Embodied Surgical Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Vision · Robotics · Autonomy

CLINICAL FOCUS: CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY

 

TIME

PROGRAM

PARTICIPANT(S)

LOCATION

7:30-8:00 a.m.

Registration, Breakfast & Networking

 

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

8:00-8:25 a.m.

Building the Resident Vascular Robotics Program

20 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Alan Lumsden · Charu Bavare

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

8:25-8:50 a.m.

Vascular Robotics Research at The Bookout Center: From Research to Training

20 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Estela Abich

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

8:50-9:15 a.m.

Research Spotlight: Inside the STaRS Cardiovascular Robotics Experiments

20 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Dora Zatyko

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

9:15-9:25 a.m.

Break

 

 

9:25-10:25 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Featured Keynote

Agents and Digital Twins for Physical AI in Healthcare

45 min presentation + 15 min Q&A

Mathias Unberath

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

10:25-10:30 a.m.

Break

 

 

10:30-11:30 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Featured Keynote

Datasets and Foundation Models for Healthcare Robotics

45 min presentation + 15 min Q&A

Sean Huver

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

11:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

HANDS-ON ROBOTIC WORKSHOP — INVITE ONLY

Cardiovascular robotic surgery using da Vinci Xi, da Vinci V & CMR Versius System

 

STaRS ENGINEER TRACK — INVITE ONLY: Select cohort of up to 15 engineers observing hands-on workshop activities.

 

MITIE @ The Bookout Center

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Lunch & Networking

 

The Bookout Center

1:00-2:30 p.m.

Tours / Research Collaboration / Technology Engagement

Homer Quintana

The Bookout Center

2:00-3:30 p.m.

STaRS LIVE — The Future of Embodied Surgical Intelligence

Alan Lumsden · Mathias Unberath · Sean Huver · Farshid Alambeigi

Video Production Studio + Live Stream

 

 

TUESDAY | OCTOBER 27

Reimagining Minimally Invasive Surgery

Robotics · Microrobotics · Immersive Technology

CLINICAL FOCUS: OB/GYN

 

TIME

PROGRAM

PARTICIPANT(S)

LOCATION

7:00-7:30 a.m.

Breakfast & Arrival

 

RI 2nd Floor Auditorium

7:30-8:30 a.m.

CLINICAL SPECIALTY PROGRAM — SESSION 1
Welcome Remarks, Innovations in Benign Gynecology & Urogynecology
7:30-7:45 Use of Imaging to Optimize Surgical Management of Fibroids
7:45-8:00 V-NOTES: Incisionless Gynecologic Surgery
8:00-8:15 Preparing for Success: Preoperative Assessment and Planning in Endometriosis Surgery
8:15-8:30 Q&A

Anuj Suri
Julie Gutierrez
Sarah Rozycki
Olivia Dziadek
All presenters

RI 2nd Floor Auditorium

8:30-9:30 a.m.

SESSION 2 — Robotic Videos of Interesting/Challenging Cases
8:00-8:20 Video Pt. 1
8:20-8:40 Video Pt. 2
8:40-9:00 Video Pt. 3

Julie Gutierrez
Sarah Rozycki
Olivia Dziadek

RI 2nd Floor Auditorium

9:00-9:30 a.m.

Break

 

 

9:30-10:45 a.m.

SESSION 3 — Future Innovations & Directions of Robotic Surgery
9:30-9:50 AI in Robotic Gynecology Surgery: What’s Here & What’s Next
9:50-10:10 Future of Tele-Surgery: Advantages & Pitfalls
10:10-10:30 Overview of Newer Robotic Platforms
10:30-10:45 Q&A

Behrouz Zand
Anuj Suri
Alwyn Mathew · Abigail Bagdasaryants
All presenters

RI 2nd Floor Auditorium

10:45-11:00 a.m.

Lunch Pickup / Transition

 

RI 2nd Floor Auditorium

11:00 a.m.-Noon

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Featured Keynote

Future Directions of Robotic Surgery: Interventional, Ingestible, Injectable, Implanted Robotic Devices (I4RoD)

45 min presentation + 15 min Q&A

Arianna Menciassi

RI 2nd Floor Auditorium

Noon-3:00 p.m.

HANDS-ON ROBOTIC WORKSHOP — INVITE ONLY
OB/GYN robotic surgery featuring da Vinci 5, CMR Versius & V-NOTES simulation

STaRS ENGINEER TRACK — INVITE ONLY: Select cohort of up to 15 engineers observing hands-on workshop activities.

Anuj Suri · Elise Yates · Pedro Ramirez

MITIE @ The Bookout Center

Noon-12:05 pm

Introduction

Stuart Corr

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

12:05-1:00 p.m.

IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH — Featured Keynote

Spatial computing for orthopedic surgery

45 min presentation + 10 min Q&A

Siddarth Satish

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

1:00-1:30 p.m.

IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH — Featured Talk

Spatial Computing in the OR: Use of the Apple Vision Pro as a Head-Mounted Virtual Monitor
25 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Patrick Reardon

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

1:30-2:00 p.m.

IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH — Featured Talk

Beyond the Headset: From Clinical Need to Immersive Care
25 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Hina Faisal

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

2:00-2:15 p.m.

Break

 

 

2:15-2:45 p.m.

IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH — Featured Talk

Spatializing Healthcare through Volumetric Media Pipelines: 3D Sensing, Streaming, and Replay
25 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Robert LiKamwa

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

2:45-3:15 p.m.

IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH — Featured Talk

In-House XR Applications & Capabilities at the Bookout Center
25 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Austin Shelton

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

3:15-3:30 p.m.

Break / Transition to Studio

 

 

3:45-4:45 p.m.

STaRS LIVE — Immersive Technology in Healthcare: From Innovation to Implementation

40 min discussion

Moderator: Floris van der Breggen
Patrick Reardon · Dave Aten· Martin McMahon

Video Production Studio + Live Stream

5:00-6:00 p.m.

STaRS ROUND TABLE— The Future of Robotic Gynecologic Surgery: From New Platforms to New Possibilities

Anuj Suri + invited OB/GYN faculty

Video Production Studio

 

 

WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 28

Engineering the Intelligent Surgical Environment

Medical Imaging · Computer-Assisted Intervention · Augmented Reality · Surgical Robotics

CLINICAL FOCUS: GENERAL SURGERY

 

TIME

PROGRAM

PARTICIPANT(S)

LOCATION

8:00-9:00 a.m.

FEATURED GRAND ROUNDS

Dyadic Partnership: A Missing Link Towards Autonomy in Medical Robotics

45 min presentation + 15 min Q&A

Nassir Navab

RI 2nd Floor Auditorium

9:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m.

HANDS-ON ROBOTIC WORKSHOP — INVITE ONLY General Surgery Robotic Workshop featuring da Vinci 5 & CMR Versius

 

STaRS ENGINEER TRACK — INVITE ONLY: Select cohort of up to 15 engineers observing hands-on workshop activities.

General Surgery faculty & residents

MITIE @ The Bookout Center — RI5

9:00-9:10 a.m.

Coffee / Transition

 

 

9:10-9:15 a.m.

Introduction

Farshid Alambeigi

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

9:15-10:00 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK —

Featured Talk

Perioperative Data Science: Models, Implementation, & Impact

35 min presentation + 10 min Q&A

Jeffrey Siewerdsen

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

10:00-10:10 a.m.

Break

 

 

10:10-10:55 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK —

Featured Talk

Guiding with touch: Assessing and Assisting Surgical Performance

35 min presentation + 10 min Q&A

Marcia O'Malley

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

10:55-11:00 a.m.

Break

 

 

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK —

Featured Keynote

TBD

45 min presentation + 15 min Q&A

Robert Webster, III

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

12:00-1:00 p.m.

Lunch & Networking

 

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

1:00-2:30 p.m.

Tours / Research Collaboration / Technology Engagement

Homer Quintana

The Bookout Center

12:45–1:45 p.m.

STaRS Round Table — Translational Innovation

From Clinical Need to Company: How Surgical Innovation Reaches the Patient

30 min discussion

TBD (Moderator) ·

Robert Webster

Video Production Studios (Round Table)

1:45-2:45 p.m.

STaRS LIVE — Engineering the Future of Embodied Surgical Intelligence

40 min discussion

Moderator: Farshid Alambeigi · Nassir Navab · Jeffrey Siewerdsen · Arianna Menciassi

Video Production Studio + Live Stream

4:15-5:15 p.m.

STaRS Round Table — General Surgery

Training the Next Generation of Robotic Surgeons

40 min discussion

Dr. Ali · Dr. Martinez · Senior Resident · Junior Resident

Video Production Studios (Round Table)

 

 

THURSDAY | OCTOBER 29

Expanding the Frontiers of Robotic Intervention

Medical Robotics · Image Guidance · Endovascular & Endoluminal Intervention · Surgical Innovation

CLINICAL FOCUS: PLASTIC & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

 

TIME

PROGRAM

PARTICIPANT(S)

LOCATION

8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

HANDS-ON ROBOTIC WORKSHOP — INVITE ONLY Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Robotic Workshop

 

STaRS ENGINEER TRACK — INVITE ONLY: Select cohort of up to 15 engineers observing hands-on workshop activities.

Matthew Kaufman + participants

MITIE @ The Bookout Center

8:00-9:00 a.m.

Breakfast & Arrival

 

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

9:10-9:15 a.m.

Introduction

Farshid Alambeigi

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

9:15-10:00 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Featured Talk

Endovascular Robotics in the Era of Surgical Intelligence

35 min presentation + 10 min Q&A

Alan Lumsden

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

10:00-10:10 a.m.

Break

 

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

10:10-10:55 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Featured Talk

Surgical Robotics, Autonomy & the Future of Robotic Intervention

35 min presentation + 10 min Q&A

Farshid Alambeigi

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

10:55-11:00 a.m.

Break

 

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

11:00 a.m.-Noon

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Featured Keynote

Physical AI: The Next Frontier in Autonomous Endovascular Interventions

45 min presentation + 15 min Q&A

Jaydev Desai

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

12:00-1:00 p.m.

Lunch & Networking

 

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

1:00-2:30 p.m.

Tours / Research Collaboration / Technology Engagement

Homer Quintana

The Bookout Center

4:00 pm

Conclusion of Programming

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY | OCTOBER 30

Building the Future of Healthcare Technology

Multidisciplinary Innovation · Engineering Medicine · Translation · Collaboration

CLINICAL FOCUS: INTERVENTIONAL PULMONOLOGY & LUNG TRANSPLANTATION

 

TIME

PROGRAM

PARTICIPANT(S)

LOCATION

7:30-8:00 a.m.

Breakfast & Arrival

 

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

8:00-8:10 a.m.

Introduction

Alan Lumsden

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

8:10-9:00 a.m.

CLINICAL SPECIALITY PROGRAM - Robotics Across the Lung Care Continuum | From Interventional Pulmonology to Lung Transplantation

40 min panel discussion + 10 min Q&A

Alan Lumsden (moderator), Ray Chihara, Tarek Dammad

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

HANDS-ON ROBOTIC WORKSHOP — INVITE ONLY
Interventional Pulmonology & Robotic Lung Transplant Workshop — Intuitive da Vinci Xi · J&J Monarch · Noah Medical Galaxy

 

STaRS ENGINEER TRACK — INVITE ONLY: Select cohort of up to 15 engineers observing hands-on workshop activities.

Tarek Dammad · Ray Chihara + participants

MITIE @ The Bookout Center

9:00-9:10 a.m.

Break

 

 

9:10-9:35 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Digital Health Institute: Vision, Partnership & Opportunity

20 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Pothik Chatterjee

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

9:35-10:00 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Digital Health Institute: Research & Technology in Action

20 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Ashok Veeraraghavan

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

10:00-10:15 a.m.

Break

 

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

10:15-10:40 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Engineering Medicine: Building the Next Generation of Healthcare Innovators

20 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Lance Black, EnMED

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

10:40-11:05 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK — Engineering Medicine: Research & Translation in Action

20 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

Maham Rahimi

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

11:05-11:30 a.m.

RESEARCH & ENGINEERING TRACK —

The Ken Kennedy Institute

20 min presentation + 5 min Q&A

David Pynadath

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

11:30-1:00 p.m.

Lunch & Networking

 

RI 2nd Floor Boardroom

1:00-2:30 p.m.

Tours / Research Collaboration / Technology Engagement

Homer Quintana

The Bookout Center

12:15-1:30 p.m.

STaRS LIVE — CLOSING CONVERSATION
Building & Leading Multidisciplinary Healthcare Technology Centers

40 min discussion

Moderator: Stuart Corr · Pothik Chatterjee · Lance Black

Video Production Studio + Live Stream

4:00 p.m.

Conclusion of Programming & STaRS 2026

 

 

 

MITIE [Houston Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation & Education]
6670 Bertner Ave. 5th-floor
Houston Methodist Research Institute Building
Houston, TX 77030
United States
+1 (713) 441-7912

Course Director(s)

Stuart Corr

Director of Innovation Engineering,

The Bookout Center


Farshid Alambeigi

Director of Robotics, Imaging, and Autonomous Surgery

The Bookout Center

Price

Cost:
$100.00
Please login or register to take this course.

For Houston Methodist Employees: 

  1. If you have previously created a profile, you may proceed to register for your activity, using the information you used to set up your account/profile. 

  1. If you are an employee of Houston Methodist and this is your first time accessing this site, please login by clicking the "Houston Methodist" login button. You will need to use your HM login information to get started. Once you are logged in, please complete the following to create your profile: 

  • Set up an account by creating a username and password. 

  • Update your profile. 

  • Provide and confirm your mobile number. 

  • Then proceed to register for your activity. 

For Non-Houston Methodist Employees: 

  1. If you have previously created a profile, you may proceed to register for your activity, by clicking the “Visitor Login” button. 

  1. If you have not already done so, please create an account, by clicking the “Create New Visitor Account” button. 

  • Set up an account by creating a username and password. 

  • Update your profile. 

  • Provide and confirm your mobile number. 

  • Then proceed to register for your activity. 

[You do not have to set up an account profile to attend the activity. However, it is highly recommended that you create a profile in case you need to keep track of your educational history, while attending activities at MITIE or Houston Methodist.]