Surgical system instrument manipulator

A surgical system, comprising:

• a setup link configured to position a remote center of motion for the surgical system;
• a proximal link operably coupled to the setup link;
• a distal link operably coupled to the proximal link, the distal link comprising a distal end;
• a rotatable element operably coupled to the distal end of the distal link;
• and
• a plurality of instrument manipulators operably coupled to the rotatable element, the plurality of instrument manipulators being rotated as a group by rotation of the rotatable element, each one of the plurality of instrument manipulators being configured to be coupled to a different one of a plurality of surgical instruments, each of the plurality of instrument manipulators comprising a frame of the instrument manipulator and a plurality of actuator drive modules,
• the frame comprising an outer shell and an inner frame, the inner frame being attached to the outer shell to move proximally and distally while the outer shell remains stationary, the inner frame comprising a distal face, the distal face moving proximally and distally as the inner frame moves proximally and distally relative to the stationary outer shell,
• the plurality of actuator drive modules being coupled to the inner frame and housed within the outer shell,
• each of the plurality of actuator drive modules including an actuator output, each of the actuator outputs being configured to engage a corresponding actuator input of a plurality of actuator inputs of a surgical instrument of the plurality of surgical instruments to independently actuate the corresponding actuator input of the plurality of actuator inputs of the surgical instrument of the plurality of surgical instruments without force input from another of the actuator outputs of the plurality of drive modules, and each of the actuator outputs distally protruding from the distal face.