A connection assembly for connecting an articulatable medical instrument (1100, 2510, 2630, 704, 800, 900) to a force generator (105, 1110, 1115), the connection assembly comprising: a housing; a first connector portion (1125, 112) within the housing; and a second connector portion (1130, 114) for releasable coupling to the first connector portion; wherein the first connector portion (1125, 112) comprises at least one guideway, a carriage assembly moveable relative to the at least one guideway and comprising at least one engaging feature, and a force transmission element (130, 1135) attached to the carriage assembly (120, 1600, 1620, 1700, 1720, 1800, 1820) and coupled to the force generator (105, 1110, 1115); wherein the second connector portion (1130, 114) comprises at least one guideway, a carriage assembly moveable relative to the at least one guideway and comprising at least one engaging feature, and a force transmission element (130, 1135) attached to the carriage assembly (120, 1600, 1620, 1700, 1720, 1800, 1820) and coupled to the medical instrument (1100, 2510, 2630, 704, 800, 900); characterized in that the housing provides an opening configured to receive the second connector portion in a first direction to bring the at least one engaging feature of the carriage assembly of the second connector portion into alignment with the at least one engaging feature of the carriage assembly of the first connector portion and the connection assembly further comprises an engagement device to move at least one of the first and second connector portions in a second direction, transverse to the first direction, to bring into releasable locking engagement the aligned engaging features of the carriage assemblies of the first and second connector portions such that subsequent linear movement of the carriage assembly of the first connector portion relative to the at least one guideway of the first connector portion will translate into linear movement of the carriage assembly of the second connector portion relative to the at least one guideway of the second connector portion. a housing; a first connector portion (1125, 112) within the housing; and a second connector portion (1130, 114) for releasable coupling to the first connector portion; wherein the first connector portion (1125, 112) comprises at least one guideway, a carriage assembly moveable relative to the at least one guideway and comprising at least one engaging feature, and a force transmission element (130, 1135) attached to the carriage assembly (120, 1600, 1620, 1700, 1720, 1800, 1820) and coupled to the force generator (105, 1110, 1115); wherein the second connector portion (1130, 114) comprises at least one guideway, a carriage assembly moveable relative to the at least one guideway and comprising at least one engaging feature, and a force transmission element (130, 1135) attached to the carriage assembly (120, 1600, 1620, 1700, 1720, 1800, 1820) and coupled to the medical instrument (1100, 2510, 2630, 704, 800, 900); characterized in that the housing provides an opening configured to receive the second connector portion in a first direction to bring the at least one engaging feature of the carriage assembly of the second connector portion into alignment with the at least one engaging feature of the carriage assembly of the first connector portion and the connection assembly further comprises an engagement device to move at least one of the first and second connector portions in a second direction, transverse to the first direction, to bring into releasable locking engagement the aligned engaging features of the carriage assemblies of the first and second connector portions such that subsequent linear movement of the carriage assembly of the first connector portion relative to the at least one guideway of the first connector portion will translate into linear movement of the carriage assembly of the second connector portion relative to the at least one guideway of the second connector portion.