Yvonne Ho

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Yvonne Ho is a leading researcher at the intersection of surgical robotics and cognitive automation, with a primary focus on developing intelligent, human-centered control systems for minimally invasive procedures. Her work addresses a critical challenge in medical robotics: determining the optimal balance of autonomy to ensure both safety and efficacy. Ho’s major contributions include pioneering a shared-control robotic system for retinal surgery that empowers surgeons to dictate the level of automation during delicate laser ablation, directly addressing industry hesitancy toward fully autonomous systems. She further advanced the field by designing and implementing a novel "cognitive engine" framework—a hybrid supervisory system that makes surgical processes understandable to both human operators and robots. This framework has been successfully prototyped for robotic needle insertion and radio-frequency ablation of liver tumors, demonstrating its versatility. While her most-cited papers (2015–2017) each hold around 4–5 citations, their foundational impact lies in establishing a new paradigm for user-friendly, patient-specific robotic assistance. Ho’s work is notable for its pragmatic approach, prioritizing surgeon oversight and procedural transparency, which positions her as a key voice in the ongoing dialogue about automation in medicine.