Flux disambiguation for teleoperated surgical systems

A surgical instrument for a teleoperated surgical system, the surgical instrument comprising:

• a housing that couples the surgical instrument in an installed position at a patient side cart of a teleoperated surgical system, the housing comprising a connector feature that reversibly engages an electrosurgical energy transmission conduit that transmits electrical energy from an electrosurgical generator to the surgical instrument;
• and
• a mechanism that is transitionable between a first state, in which the connector feature and the electrosurgical energy transmission conduit are disengaged, and a second state, in which the connector feature and the electrosurgical energy transmission conduit are engaged;
• wherein in the installed position of the surgical instrument at the patient side cart, a transition between the first state and the second state of the mechanism is detectable by a sensor,
• wherein the mechanism comprises a magnet that is configured to transition between a first position associated with the first state and a second position associated with the second state, and
• wherein the magnet is disposed on an arm, the arm being configured to move in response to the electrosurgical energy transmission conduit and the connector feature being moved between being engaged and disengaged.