Sensorizing robotic surgical system access ports

A method of estimating a load at a tip of an end effector of a surgical instrument mounted on a robot arm of a robotic surgical system, the method comprising:

• quantifying an access port load of a surgical instrument access port, secured within tissue of a patient, from sensor data received from a plurality of sensors embedded within a body member of the access port, the plurality of sensors configured to measure at least one loading parameter exerted thereon by the access port when in contact with the tissue, wherein the plurality of sensors include:
• a distal sensor located proximate the distal end of the body member;
• a proximal sensor located proximate the proximal end of the body member;
• and
• an intermediate sensor located between the distal sensor and the proximal sensor, wherein the access port load is related to at least one of a force or a torque applied at the tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument;
• adjusting a determined tip load, at the end effector of the surgical instrument, based at least in part on the measured access port load;
• and
• quantifying at least one of a force or a torque on the surgical instrument attached to the robot arm of the robotic surgical system from sensor data of a sensor located in the robot arm of the robotic surgical system, wherein quantifications received from the plurality of sensors and the sensor located in the robot arm are combined to compute an estimated load at the tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument.