A surgical stapling and cutting instrument, comprising: a displacement member configured to translate within the surgical instrument; a motor coupled to the displacement member to translate the displacement member; a control circuit coupled to the motor; a position sensor coupled to the control circuit, the position sensor configured to measure the position of the displacement member; a timer circuit coupled to the control circuit, the timer/counter circuit configured to measure elapsed time; wherein the control circuit is configured to: receive the position of the displacement member from the position sensor; receive elapsed time from the timer circuit; control velocity of the motor based on the position of the displacement member and the elapsed time, characterized in that the control circuit is configured to control the velocity of the motor based on the position of the displacement member and the elapsed time by conducting the following process steps: set the velocity of the motor to a first velocity; receive an initial position A o of the displacement member from the position sensor; receive a reference time t 1 from the timer circuit corresponding to the initial position A o of the displacement member; determine an anticipated position A 1 of the displacement member at a time t 2 based on the first velocity; receive an actual position B 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2 from the position sensor; compare the actual position B 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2 with the anticipated position A 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2; and determine the difference between the actual position B 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2 with the anticipated position A 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2. a displacement member configured to translate within the surgical instrument; a motor coupled to the displacement member to translate the displacement member; a control circuit coupled to the motor; a position sensor coupled to the control circuit, the position sensor configured to measure the position of the displacement member; a timer circuit coupled to the control circuit, the timer/counter circuit configured to measure elapsed time; receive the position of the displacement member from the position sensor; receive elapsed time from the timer circuit; control velocity of the motor based on the position of the displacement member and the elapsed time, characterized in that the control circuit is configured to control the velocity of the motor based on the position of the displacement member and the elapsed time by conducting the following process steps: set the velocity of the motor to a first velocity; receive an initial position A o of the displacement member from the position sensor; receive a reference time t 1 from the timer circuit corresponding to the initial position A o of the displacement member; determine an anticipated position A 1 of the displacement member at a time t 2 based on the first velocity; receive an actual position B 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2 from the position sensor; compare the actual position B 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2 with the anticipated position A 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2; and determine the difference between the actual position B 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2 with the anticipated position A 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2. set the velocity of the motor to a first velocity; receive an initial position A o of the displacement member from the position sensor; receive a reference time t 1 from the timer circuit corresponding to the initial position A o of the displacement member; determine an anticipated position A 1 of the displacement member at a time t 2 based on the first velocity; receive an actual position B 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2 from the position sensor; compare the actual position B 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2 with the anticipated position A 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2; and determine the difference between the actual position B 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2 with the anticipated position A 1 of the displacement member at the time t 2.