A surgical sealing system, comprising: a sealing device having a seal housing with a predetermined size and shape, the seal housing being configured to be at least partially disposed within a body cavity and having a plurality of ports (9008, 9010, 9012, 9014); wherein each of the plurality of ports has a nominal size and shape (9009, 9018, 9020) and each is configured to assume a selected size and/or shape (9009', 9018', 9020') that is different from the nominal size and/or shape, the selected size and/or shape of each port being constrained by the size and shape of each of the other plurality of ports; wherein each of the plurality of ports is configured to form a seal around an instrument inserted therethrough; wherein the position of an instrument that is positioned within one port of the plurality of ports and a force applied thereto is effective to change the size and/or shape of the ports based on the movement, direction, and force of the instrument; and wherein the ability to alter the nominal shape of any one port is constrained or limited by the size and/or shape of the other ports; characterized in that the surgical sealing system further comprises a controller and a force sensor, wherein the controller is configured to receive a force reading, via the force sensor, from at least one of the plurality of ports based on the movement, direction, and force of the instrument; and wherein, based on the force reading, the controller can determine the selected size and shape of each of the plurality of ports; and wherein each of the plurality of ports are formed of ferromagnetic material that is configured to be structurally altered in response to exposure to an electromagnet such that each of the ports is configured to change size and shape. a sealing device having a seal housing with a predetermined size and shape, the seal housing being configured to be at least partially disposed within a body cavity and having a plurality of ports (9008, 9010, 9012, 9014); wherein each of the plurality of ports has a nominal size and shape (9009, 9018, 9020) and each is configured to assume a selected size and/or shape (9009', 9018', 9020') that is different from the nominal size and/or shape, the selected size and/or shape of each port being constrained by the size and shape of each of the other plurality of ports; wherein each of the plurality of ports is configured to form a seal around an instrument inserted therethrough; wherein the position of an instrument that is positioned within one port of the plurality of ports and a force applied thereto is effective to change the size and/or shape of the ports based on the movement, direction, and force of the instrument; and wherein the ability to alter the nominal shape of any one port is constrained or limited by the size and/or shape of the other ports; characterized in that the surgical sealing system further comprises a controller and a force sensor, wherein the controller is configured to receive a force reading, via the force sensor, from at least one of the plurality of ports based on the movement, direction, and force of the instrument; and wherein, based on the force reading, the controller can determine the selected size and shape of each of the plurality of ports; and wherein each of the plurality of ports are formed of ferromagnetic material that is configured to be structurally altered in response to exposure to an electromagnet such that each of the ports is configured to change size and shape.