A medical robotic system comprising: a base; a robotic arm having a proximal housing (201, 231), an intermediate housing, and one or more distal housings (204, 262), wherein the proximal housing is coupled to the base, wherein a proximal end of the intermediate housing is rotationally coupled to a distal end of the proximal housing, wherein a proximal end of the one or more distal housings is rotationally coupled to a distal end of the intermediate housing, wherein the one or more distal housings house a plurality of motors (223, 224, 401-3, 401-4) and a plurality of sensors (723, 724), the plurality of sensors coupled to the plurality of motors for sensing states of the plurality of motors, and wherein the base houses a position controller, the position controller generating electrical current commands (Ic) indicative of commanded positions of the plurality of motors, wherein the distal housing is configured to be near a medical patient during a medical surgery and further configured to meet space, performance, and stability requirements specific to the medical surgery; a surgical or medical instrument (112, 114, 118), wherein the plurality of motors (223, 224, 401-3, 401-4) moves the instrument (112, 114, 118) in corresponding degrees of freedom; and a remote electrical current controller adapted to: receive the electrical current commands ( I C), receive information of the sensed states of the plurality of motors, generate individual motor driving signals for the plurality of motors using the received electrical current commands ( I C) and the received information of the sensed states of the plurality of motors, and provide the individual motor driving signals respectively to the plurality of motors over individual signal lines (621-3, 621-4) coupled directly between the remote current controller and each of the motors; wherein the remote electrical current controller is housed in the intermediate housing. a base; a robotic arm having a proximal housing (201, 231), an intermediate housing, and one or more distal housings (204, 262), wherein the proximal housing is coupled to the base, wherein a proximal end of the intermediate housing is rotationally coupled to a distal end of the proximal housing, wherein a proximal end of the one or more distal housings is rotationally coupled to a distal end of the intermediate housing, wherein the one or more distal housings house a plurality of motors (223, 224, 401-3, 401-4) and a plurality of sensors (723, 724), the plurality of sensors coupled to the plurality of motors for sensing states of the plurality of motors, and wherein the base houses a position controller, the position controller generating electrical current commands (Ic) indicative of commanded positions of the plurality of motors, wherein the distal housing is configured to be near a medical patient during a medical surgery and further configured to meet space, performance, and stability requirements specific to the medical surgery; a surgical or medical instrument (112, 114, 118), wherein the plurality of motors (223, 224, 401-3, 401-4) moves the instrument (112, 114, 118) in corresponding degrees of freedom; and a remote electrical current controller adapted to: receive the electrical current commands ( I C), receive information of the sensed states of the plurality of motors, generate individual motor driving signals for the plurality of motors using the received electrical current commands ( I C) and the received information of the sensed states of the plurality of motors, and provide the individual motor driving signals respectively to the plurality of motors over individual signal lines (621-3, 621-4) coupled directly between the remote current controller and each of the motors; receive the electrical current commands ( I C), receive information of the sensed states of the plurality of motors, generate individual motor driving signals for the plurality of motors using the received electrical current commands ( I C) and the received information of the sensed states of the plurality of motors, and provide the individual motor driving signals respectively to the plurality of motors over individual signal lines (621-3, 621-4) coupled directly between the remote current controller and each of the motors; wherein the remote electrical current controller is housed in the intermediate housing.