Patent attributes
A system for moveable element position indication includes an end effector having a jaw for clamping a material, a moveable element within the end effector, a drive element drivingly coupled with the moveable element via a mechanism, and a processor. The processor is configured to track a kinematic chain of the moveable element by determining a displacement of the drive element and determining a displacement of the mechanism, determine a position of the moveable element relative to the end effector using the tracked kinematic chain, and display an indicator of the position of the moveable element relative to the end effector. The position is determined from among a pre-cut position, a cut-complete position, and any position between the pre-cut position and the cut-complete position. In some embodiments, the moveable element includes a cutting blade. In some embodiments, the indicator is superimposed over an image of the end effector.