Example embodiments relate to robotic arm assemblies. Embodiments of the robotic arm assembly include a shoulder segment and upper arm segment having a motor drive portion. Embodiments also include a shoulder coupling joint assembly connecting the upper arm segment to the shoulder segment. Shoulder coupling joint assembly includes a distal shoulder joint subassembly connected to the upper arm segment. The distal shoulder joint subassembly includes a distal shoulder joint forming a first axis. The distal shoulder joint subassembly includes a shoulder planetary gear assembly. Embodiments include an elbow coupling joint assembly connecting the upper arm segment to the forearm segment. The elbow coupling joint assembly includes a proximal elbow joint subassembly connected to the upper arm segment. The proximal elbow joint subassembly includes a proximal elbow joint forming a second axis. The proximal elbow joint subassembly includes an elbow planetary gear assembly.

A surgical instrument includes a housing having an elongated shaft extending distally from the housing and configured to support an end effector assembly at a distal end thereof. The end effector assembly including first and second jaw members, each jaw member including a tissue sealing plate disposed thereon. A force gauge is disposed on one or both the tissue sealing plates of the first and second jaw members. The force gauge is configured to measure a force associated with the one (or both) tissue sealing plate and communicate the force measurement to an electrosurgical energy source. The electrosurgical energy source is configured to correlate the force measurement to an amount of tension on tissue disposed between the first and second jaw members and alert a user if the amount of tension falls outside a particular range.

A surgical instrument includes a housing having an elongated shaft extending distally therefrom and configured to support an end effector assembly at a distal end thereof. The end effector assembly includes first and second jaw members each having a tissue sealing plate disposed thereon and adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source for delivery thereto upon activation thereof. A sensor is disposed on one (or both) of the tissue sealing plates and is configured to communicate data relating to tissue disposed between the first and second jaw members to the electrosurgical energy source for correlation to a resonance frequency of the tissue. The resonance frequency of the tissue, in turn, is used to adjust one or more parameters associated with the delivery of electrosurgical energy to the tissue upon activation thereof.

A bipolar surgical instrument (1) comprises a body (2), first and second opposed jaws (18, 20) located at the distal end of a shaft (10), the first jaw (18) being movable with respect to the second jaw (20) between an open position in which the first and second jaws (18, 20) are spaced apart from one another, and a closed position in which the first and second jaws (18, 20) are adjacent one another. The first and second elongate jaw members (18, 20) have respective first and second electrodes. A power cable having a pair of electrically conductive elements, is provided to connect a source of radio frequency electromagnetic energy to the first and second electrodes. A capacitive element is located in the instrument, and is connected in series between a first one of the pair of electrically conductive elements of the cable and the first electrode.

A treatment instrument including a heat transmitter that includes a treating surface and an installation surface, a substrate attached to the installation surface, and a heat generator formed on a surface of the substrate. The substrate surface and heat generator together form an uneven surface. First and second adhesion layers formed of a material having thermal conductivity and electrical insulation are provided between the installation surface and the substrate. The first adhesion layer is in close contact with the installation surface, and the second adhesion layer is in close contact with the heat generator and the substrate surface. The second adhesion layer is inserted into a recess in the uneven surface formed by the heat generator on substrate surface so as to increase the contact area between the second adhesion layer and the uneven surface.

A method of spectrometric analysis comprises obtaining one or more sample spectra for an aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The one or more sample spectra are subjected to pre-processing and then multivariate and/or library based analysis so as to classify the aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The results of the analysis are used for various surgical or non-surgical applications.

A medical apparatus can include an instrument comprising a shaft and a jaw assembly coupled to an end of the shaft; an image capture device; and a controller operably coupled to the image capture device to receive image data from the image capture device. The image data is from images of material gripped between jaw members of the jaw assembly and captured by the image capture device, with the controller programmed to process the received image data using at least one of optical flow and digital image correlation. A medical apparatus can include an instrument comprising a shaft, and a jaw assembly coupled to an end of the shaft, the jaw assembly comprising a pair of jaw members having opposing surfaces configured to grasp material between the opposing surfaces, wherein at least a portion of the opposing surface of a first jaw member of the pair of jaw members is transparent.

Forceps that include a hand piece, a jaw assembly connected to the hand piece, and a web. The jaw assembly is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The web is adapted to block an anatomical feature from extending beyond a proximal end of a gripping section of the jaw assembly. The web remains generally stationary relative to the handpiece when the jaw assembly is moved between an open position and a closed position.

A return pad of an electrosurgical system is disclosed. The return pad includes a plurality of conductive members and a plurality of sensing devices. The conductive members are configured to receive radio frequency current applied to a patient. The sensing devices are configured to detect at least one of the following: a nerve control signal applied to the patient; and a movement of an anatomical feature of the patient resulting from application of the nerve control signal.

A method is disclosed. The method can comprise obtaining a first staple cartridge and obtaining a second staple cartridge, wherein the first staple cartridge and the second staple cartridge comprise the same length and the same width. The method can further comprise inserting the first staple cartridge into a channel comprising a keyed profile, wherein complete insertion of the first staple cartridge into the channel is prevented by the keyed profile. Additionally, the method can comprise inserting the second staple cartridge into the channel, wherein complete insertion of the second staple cartridge into the channel is permitted by the keyed profile.