Orlando Health Doctors & UCF Students Team Up to Invent AI Technology for Surgeries

Orlando, FL (May 13, 2025) – On Tuesday, Orlando Health and UCF unveiled a new AI project developed by doctors, students and faculty. Orlando Health surgeons teamed up with undergraduate UCF engineering and computer science students to develop AI software to assist during surgeries.

The project is called the AIMS system (Artificial Intelligence for Medical Surgery system). This past Spring, Dr. Alexis Sanchez, Director of Robotic Surgery at Orlando Health, and Laura Brattain, UCF biomedical engineer, put their heads together in the operating room (OR). While observing a robotic surgery, the pair came up with an idea to track surgical tools in ORs. Through the new partnership, UCF students developed the idea into reality.

“This collaboration is so important. It brings the best minds together: academic innovation paired with clinical experience for the ultimate goal of improving patient care,” said Dr. Alexis Sanchez, Director of Robotic Surgery at Orlando Health.

The AIMS system links a camera feed to a computer in the operating room. During surgery, the innovative AI software helps track the use of surgical staples to improve efficiency and sustainability, with the potential to be trained to track additional items, further expanding its utility. Laura Brattain is a UCF biomedical engineer and College of Medicine Associate Professor. Her research focus is developing AI solutions to improve healthcare.

“This is really a great example of how an integrated team working together makes an impact. This is only the starting point,” said Laura Brattain. “What’s important is to build translational technology so we can see that technology making an impact. We don’t want technology to be developed and then collecting dust on the shelf.”

Rachel Leiner, recent graduate from UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, was one of the six students who developed the AI software.

“It’s very fulfilling and rewarding to help people through our work,” said Rachel Leiner.

The goal is to align scientists from each organization, creating an intersection of knowledge and practice where innovation is embraced. Working together creates synergy and provides advances in the science of medicine in Central Florida.

“The relationship between Orlando Health and UCF has helped support collaborative projects like this one that Dr. Sanchez, Dr. Brattain and the students accomplished,” said Daleen Penoyer, Senior Director of Corporate Research Partnerships, Orlando Health Strategic Innovations. “We expect more projects like this to be developed between UCF and Orlando Health in the future and we’re excited for what’s to come.”

In addition, Orlando Health is also a UCF Pegasus Partner, a program that offers opportunities for select partners to engage across the university in ways that create meaningful value for both organizations. That engagement includes talent development and recruitment, shared research projects, joint ventures and collaborations, and strategic philanthropy.

Handout Video & Photos:

Broll here
Soundbites here: Orlando Health
Soundbites here: UCF

Media Contacts:

Marlei Martinez
Orlando Health Media Relations Manager
Email: [email protected]
Cell: (407) 308-2243

Elizabeth Katona
Orlando Health Media Relations Manager
Email: [email protected]
Cell: (386) 283-1314

Margot Winick
UCF Communications
Email: [email protected]
Cell: (305) 308-7738

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a private not-for-profit, integrated academic healthcare system with $12 billion of assets under management, that serves the southeastern United States – including Florida and Alabama – and Puerto Rico. With corporate offices in Orlando, Florida the system provides a complete continuum of care across a network of medical centers and institutes, community and specialty hospitals, physician practices, urgent care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home healthcare, and long-term and behavioral health care services. Founded more than 100 years ago, Orlando Health’s mission is to improve the health and the quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve. The system provided nearly $1.7 billion in community impact in the form of community benefit programs and services, Medicare shortfalls, bad debt, community-building activities and capital investments in FY 23, the most recent period for which the information is available. For more information, visit orlandohealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter.)