I Did It My Way: On Law And Operator Signatures for Teleoperated Robots

Teleoperated robotic systems are those where a human operator controls a remote robot through a communication network. In surgery, bomb disposal, underwater exploration, and other applications, institutions such as courts, agencies, and firms will want to determine and verify the identity, skill level, and other traits of the remote operator. The concept of an operator signature represents a new approach to monitor, analyze, and validate operators’ performance. This approach is based on the assumption that each operator interacts with a remote robot in a unique way, thus generating a unique biometric (signature), which can be extracted and used for further validation. This paper discusses preliminary legal and policy applications of operator signatures for teleoperated robotic surgical procedures. We first provide a background of teleoperated robotic systems, and introduce the concept of operator signatures. We then discuss some cyber-security risks that may arise during teleoperated procedures, and describe the three main task operator signatures seek to address—identification, authentication, and evaluation. Third, we discuss legal benefits from operator signatures. In particular, we discuss how operator signatures can refine the standard of care for robotic surgical procedures. We discuss how operator signatures may—possibly for the first time—provide objective empirical evidence of an individual operator’s actions during robotic surgery. Fourth, we consider various scenarios where operator signatures may be applicable. Finally, we provide preliminary guidance on how to balance the need to mitigate cyber-security risks with the desire to enable adoption of teleoperation.