Powered surgical cutting and stapling apparatus with manually retractable firing system

A surgical system is disclosed including a frame, an electric motor, a power source configured to supply power to the electric motor, a firing member, a manual release for retracting the firing member, and a controller for de-energizing the electric motor while a retraction motion is applied to the firing member. The electric motor is configured to impart a firing motion to the firing member.

Endoscope apparatus

An endoscope apparatus includes an endoscope including an observation optical system including a lens drive mechanism and a video processor connected to the endoscope, and the endoscope apparatus includes a voice coil motor provided in the endoscope and configured to drive a lens relating to the lens drive mechanism and a position detecting apparatus provided in the endoscope and configured to detect a position of the lens. The video processor is configured to determine whether or not the position detecting apparatus is in a heat generating state, and halt actuation of the position detecting apparatus if the video processor determines that the position detecting apparatus is in the heat generating state.

System of RFID reader units transmitting synchronized modulation using asynchronous carrier waves

A UHF RFID system is disclosed in which an RFID transponder or tag can be simultaneously powered and interrogated by multiple RFID transceivers. The architecture of the system is such that each transceiver generates its own carrier wave, with a frequency that might be equal to or different from the other units, and the interrogation data is distributed throughout a network of transceivers and modulated by each transceiver unit onto their own carrier waves. During an interrogation period, one or more of the transceivers will be configured as the master unit, generating and distributing the protocols commands. The other units can be configured as transmitters, receivers or transceivers. After each period the units may be given different roles. The proposed setup yields a system with the capability to power and interrogate RFID tags with multiple readers, without compromising the required modulation depth and protocol handling.

NbMC layers

Methods of forming thin-film structures including one or more NbMC layers, and structures and devices including the one or more NbMC layers are disclosed. The NbMC layers enable tuning of various structure and device properties, including resistivity, current leakage, and work function.

Guided wave communication system with resource allocation and methods for use therewith

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a transmission device includes a receiver configured to receive an interfering signal via an antenna. A controller is configured to generate interference data based on the interfering signal. A communications interface is configured to send the interference data to a network element of a network and further configured to receive an allocation of a plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks. A transmitter is configured to generate electromagnetic signals conveying data, in accordance with the allocation of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks. A coupler configured to generate guided electromagnetic waves in response to the electromagnetic signals, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves propagate, without requiring an electrical return path, along a surface of a transmission medium of a distributed antenna system.

Multi-input multi-output guided wave system and methods for use therewith

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a MIMO transceiver generates first electromagnetic signals convey first data in accordance with one or more MIMO techniques. The MIMO transceiver generates, responsive to the first electromagnetic signals, first electromagnetic waves on a plurality of transmission lines, wherein the first electromagnetic waves are guided by a plurality of surfaces of the plurality of transmission lines, wherein the first electromagnetic waves propagate along the plurality of transmission lines without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey the first data.

Guided wave communication system with interference mitigation and methods for use therewith

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a transmission device includes a receiver configured to receive an interfering signal via an antenna. A controller is configured to select a subset of a plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks, based on the interfering signal, to mitigate an interference with a distributed antenna system. A transmitter is configured to generate electromagnetic signals conveying data, in accordance with the subset of the plurality of guided electromagnetic wave resource blocks. A coupler is configured to generate guided electromagnetic waves in response to the electromagnetic signals, wherein the guided electromagnetic waves propagate, without requiring an electrical return path, along a surface of a transmission medium of a distributed antenna system.

Robotic surgical assemblies and instrument drive units thereof

An instrument drive unit includes a housing configured to be coupled to a surgical robotic arm, a motor assembly, and a flex spool assembly. The motor assembly is rotatably disposed within the housing. The flex spool assembly includes a first printed circuit board mounted to the housing, a second printed circuit board configured to be non-rotatably coupled to and electrically connected to the motor assembly, and a first flex circuit. The first flex circuit has a first end portion connected to the first printed circuit board, a second end portion connected to the second printed circuit board, and an intermediate portion coiled about the second printed circuit board such that rotation of the motor assembly relative to the housing effects movement of the second end portion of the first flex circuit along an annular path.

Anvil assembly for use with surgical stapling instruments

A surgical stapler having an anvil including a plurality of staple forming pockets for forming staples. The staple forming pockets include first and second staple forming cups configured to receive first and second legs of a staple respectively. The first staple forming cup within each staple forming pocket has a different depth from the second staple forming cup within that staple forming pocket.

Methods and systems for detection in an industrial Internet of Things data collection environment with a self-organizing data marketplace and notifications for industrial processes

A self-organizing data marketplace includes a plurality of data collectors and a corresponding plurality of industrial environments, wherein each of the plurality of data collectors is structured to collect detection values from at least one sensor of the corresponding industrial environment, a data storage structured to store a data pool comprising at least a portion of the detection values, a data marketplace structured to self-organize the data pool, and a transaction system structured to interpret a user data request, and to selectively provide a portion of the self-organized data pool to the user in response to the user data request.