Wired data telecommunications networks can make advantageous use of a communications capability between and among more than two network devices. The system includes a pair of surgical instruments that are coupled to a pair of robotic arms. The structures open the path to high port-count crossconnects with sufficiently low loss for deployment in practical optical-communications networks. Troughs may be formed via such layering such that indicia is provided as indentations into the added layers. An external terminal is incorporated into the bridge electrode.