A motorized surgical handpiece (24, 150, 250), comprising: a body (34, 154, 254) having a distal end and a bore (177, 256) that extends inwardly from the distal end, the bore dimensioned to receive the proximal end of a cutting accessory (24, 152); a motor disposed in the body (34, 154, 254), the motor having a shaft (36, 158) disposed in the bore (177, 256) for rotating a hub (56, 164, 252) of the cutting accessory (24, 152); and a coupling assembly attached to the body (34, 154, 254) for releasably holding the cutting accessory (24, 152) in the bore (177, 256); characterized in that: a flexible circuit is disposed in the body (34, 154, 254), the flexible circuit having a substrate on which conductive traces (274, 276, 278) are formed, said flexible circuit formed to have: a first section that is wound in a circular pattern and disposed in the distal end of the body that defines the bore so as to extend around the bore (177,256) so that a conductive trace formed on the first section functions as a coil that inductively exchanges signals with a coil (64, 172) attached to the cutting accessory (25, 152); and a second section that extends from the first section and away from the housing distal end, wherein a conductive trace (274, 276) on the second section functions as a conductor over which signals are transferred to and from said coil. a body (34, 154, 254) having a distal end and a bore (177, 256) that extends inwardly from the distal end, the bore dimensioned to receive the proximal end of a cutting accessory (24, 152); a motor disposed in the body (34, 154, 254), the motor having a shaft (36, 158) disposed in the bore (177, 256) for rotating a hub (56, 164, 252) of the cutting accessory (24, 152); and a coupling assembly attached to the body (34, 154, 254) for releasably holding the cutting accessory (24, 152) in the bore (177, 256); a flexible circuit is disposed in the body (34, 154, 254), the flexible circuit having a substrate on which conductive traces (274, 276, 278) are formed, said flexible circuit formed to have: a first section that is wound in a circular pattern and disposed in the distal end of the body that defines the bore so as to extend around the bore (177,256) so that a conductive trace formed on the first section functions as a coil that inductively exchanges signals with a coil (64, 172) attached to the cutting accessory (25, 152); and a second section that extends from the first section and away from the housing distal end, wherein a conductive trace (274, 276) on the second section functions as a conductor over which signals are transferred to and from said coil. a first section that is wound in a circular pattern and disposed in the distal end of the body that defines the bore so as to extend around the bore (177,256) so that a conductive trace formed on the first section functions as a coil that inductively exchanges signals with a coil (64, 172) attached to the cutting accessory (25, 152); and a second section that extends from the first section and away from the housing distal end, wherein a conductive trace (274, 276) on the second section functions as a conductor over which signals are transferred to and from said coil.