DARPA aims to build robotic combat surgeons
DARPA has launched the Medics Autonomously Stopping Hemorrhage (MASH) program, a three-year initiative to develop robotic systems capable of autonomously detecting and stopping internal torso bleeding—one of the leading preventable causes of battlefield deaths. Using advanced sensors, AI, and robotic tools, the system aims to stabilize injured soldiers for up to 48 hours until surgical care is available, functioning in combat settings much like AEDs do for cardiac emergencies. The program will progress in two phases: first integrating sensors with robotic platforms to detect bleeding, then developing autonomous software to control tools that stop hemorrhages. Researchers are invited to join via a virtual proposers day on September 18, 2025.