Patent attributes
A telesurgical manipulator comprises an insertion axis mechanism including a base link and a carriage link movable relative to the base link. The carriage link receives a surgical instrument for movement relative to the base link. The base and carriage links are configured for telescoping motion with an extended configuration in which a portion of the carriage link extends beyond the base link. The manipulator also includes an instrument interface included in the carriage link coupled to the surgical instrument via a sterile adaptor that secures a sterile drape to the instrument interface. The sterile drape permits communication between the surgical instrument and the carriage link while maintaining a sterile barrier. The manipulator comprises a communication device on the insertion axis mechanism that wireles sly communicates with the surgical instrument with the sterile drape disposed therebetween and that wirelessly provides power to the surgical instrument with the sterile drape disposed therebetween.