Abstract: A master-slave system including: a slave device that includes an observation optical system and a treatment portion that protrudes from a surface on which the observation optical system is provided; a master device that includes a handle that is supported so as to be capable of rotating about a predetermined axis and a treatment manipulation portion; a control portion that associates rotation of the handle with rotation of the slave device about an axis intersecting the surface and that associates manipulation of the treatment manipulation portion with movement of the treatment portion; an image processing portion that generates a corrected image obtained by rotating an image of a subject and the treatment portion acquired by the observation optical system by a rotation angle of the slave device; and a monitor that displays the corrected image.

Abstract: A manipulator system includes a master manipulator configured to send an input command, a slave manipulator configured to operate according to the input command, an image capturing unit configured to acquire an image of an object, a display device placed in front of the operator and configured to display the image acquired by the image capturing unit, a detection device configured to detect the direction of an operator's face of the operator with respect to the display device, and a control unit configured to determine whether the direction of the operator's face is within a predetermined angle with respect to the display device based on the detection result in the detection device, and to shift an operation mode of the slave manipulator between a first control mode and a second control mode in which an operation is limited more than in the first control mode based on a determination result.

Abstract: A method of controlling an endoscopic device includes a first field-of-view-moving process of causing an imaging unit to move with respect to a distal end rigid section to a first side with respect to an axis of an insertion unit, an insertion-unit-moving process of bending a bending section to cause the distal end rigid section to move to the first side with respect to the axis of the insertion unit, and a second field-of-view-moving process of causing the imaging unit to move with respect to the distal end rigid section to a second side in an opposite direction of the first side with respect to the axis of the insertion unit.

Abstract: A master input device operates a slave manipulator which includes joints corresponding to a plurality of degrees of freedom. The device includes an operating unit and detection units of two or more systems. The operating unit is capable of being changed in position and orientation by an operator's operation. The operating unit is provided command values of a position and orientation of the slave manipulator as the position and orientation thereof change. The detection units individually detect different physical quantities related to the operating unit in order to detect the position and orientation of the operating unit.

Abstract: A robotic-assisted surgical system includes a flexible inserted portion having an elongated shaft; a distal-end movement-amount detecting portion that detects an amount of movement of the distal end of the inserted portion; an operating unit that is disposed outside the body and that is operated by an operator outside the body; a driving portion that drives the inserted portion at a proximal end thereof in accordance with an operation signal input to the operating unit; and a control portion that calculates a difference between the amounts of movement of the distal end and the proximal end of the inserted portion, and that, in the case in which the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold, controls the driving portion so as to notifies the operator to that effect.

Abstract: To provide a method capable of producing stereocomplex polylactic acid, the method being capable of using carbon neutral materials that are not competitive from foods, such as saccharides, without the use of a method for designing optical resolution, which requires complicated operations and high cost and is difficult to perform mass production. The production method of the present invention comprises: a step of reacting glycerin with sodium hydroxide in high-temperature and high-pressure water to produce a racemic sodium lactate aqueous solution; a step of separating sodium from the racemic sodium lactate aqueous solution to recover racemic lactic acid; a step of dimerizing the racemic lactic acid to produce a lactide mixture containing meso lactide and racemic lactide; a step of separating meso lactide from the mixture to recover racemic lactide; and a step of polymerizing the racemic lactide with a salen-metal complex as a catalyst to produce stereocomplex polylactic acid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a noble metal fine particle with a protein adsorbed thereon, including a noble metal fine particle, and a protein adsorbed on a surface of the noble metal fine particle. The protein has an isoelectric point in a range of pH 4.0 to 7.5. An amount of the protein adsorbed is in a range of 3 to 55.1 wt % with respect to a total weight of the noble metal fine particle and the protein. The noble metal fine particle with a protein adsorbed thereon according to the present invention has excellent redispersibility.

Abstract: The noble metal fine particle supported catalyst of the present invention includes a substrate, and a porous membrane formed on the substrate. The porous membrane contains support particles, noble metal fine particles, and an inorganic binder. In the porous membrane, the noble metal fine particles are supported on surfaces of the support particles, and the support particles form secondary particles each having a porous structure. The porous membrane is formed by binding, with the inorganic binder, the secondary particles formed of the support particles so that a gap is present at least partly between the secondary particles adjacent to each other.

Abstract: A manipulation input device includes a master grip having a grip part and manipulation handles movably supported on the grip part, a spring configured to generate manipulation resistance in response to a displacement amount of the manipulation handles when the manipulation handles are manipulated, and a force magnitude adjusting unit configured to adjust the force magnitude of the manipulation resistance relative to the displacement amount.

Abstract: A manipulator system includes a master manipulation unit that performs a manipulation input by an operator, a slave motion unit that operates in accordance with the manipulation input, an interlock control unit that analyzes the manipulation input and performs control to operate the slave motion unit, interlocking with the manipulation input, and an interlock permission input unit that is capable of being manipulated by the operator and transmits, to the interlock control unit, an interlock permission mode signal used to enter a mode in which interlock of the slave motion unit is permitted based on the manipulation input of the mater manipulation unit when the operator manipulates the interlock permission input unit.

Abstract: An operation support device includes a manipulation input unit that outputs a manipulation command in accordance with an input from an operator, and a motion unit that causes a surgical instrument to move in accordance with the manipulation command. The manipulation input unit includes an object-to-be-detected that is gripped by the operator and a detection device that detects the object-to-be-detected. The object-to-be-detected includes a body part that has a first marker, which is detected by the detection device, disposed thereon, a manipulation part that is disposed in the body part and that is manipulated by the operator, and a second marker that is disposed in at least one of the body part and the manipulation part.

Abstract: Unintended motion of a displayed object is prevented by rapidly detecting a state in which an operator becomes unable to operate an operating unit. Provided is an operation input unit including a display; a head-mounted unit; an operating unit to which an operating signal for a displayed object displayed on the display is input; a relative-position detecting section that detects the relative position between the head-mounted unit and the operating unit; and a control unit that controls the displayed object by switching between a first control mode in which the motion of the displayed object is controlled in accordance with an operating signal input to the operating unit and a second control mode in which the motion of the displayed object is controlled by limiting an operating signal input to the operating unit on the basis of the relative position detected by the relative-position detecting section.

Abstract: A manipulator system includes a master manipulator configured to send an input command, a slave manipulator configured to operate according to the input command, an image capturing unit configured to acquire an image of an object, a display device placed in front of the operator and configured to display the image acquired by the image capturing unit, a detection device configured to detect the direction of an operator's face of the operator with respect to the display device, and a control unit configured to determine whether the direction of the operator's face is within a predetermined angle with respect to the display device based on the detection result in the detection device, and to shift an operation mode of the slave manipulator between a first control mode and a second control mode in which an operation is limited more than in the first control mode based on a determination result.

Abstract: A medical master slave manipulator system includes a master input device configured to send an operation command, a slave manipulator operated by the master input device, a control unit configured to transmit an operation signal to the slave manipulator based on the operation command, a display unit configured to display an image of an object, and an image selection device configured to select the image displayed on the display unit, wherein the control unit transforms the operation command associated with the image selected by the image selection device.

Abstract: A medical manipulator system includes a master manipulator, a slave manipulator, a first image forming device configured to acquire a first image, a second image forming device configured to form a second image, a display device configured to display the first image and the second image, a selection means configured to select one image from the first image and the second image, a transforming means configured to transform the operating command sent by the master manipulator to a corresponding new command such that the selected image coordinate system coincides with the operational coordinate system being used by the master manipulator, and a driving means configured to cause the slave manipulator to move in accordance with the new command.

Abstract: Unintended motion of a displayed object is prevented by rapidly detecting a state in which an operator becomes unable to operate an operating unit. Provided is an operation input unit including a display; a head-mounted unit; an operating unit to which an operating signal for a displayed object displayed on the display is input; a relative-position detecting section that detects the relative position between the head-mounted unit and the operating unit; and a control unit that controls the displayed object by switching between a first control mode in which the motion of the displayed object is controlled in accordance with an operating signal input to the operating unit and a second control mode in which the motion of the displayed object is controlled by limiting an operating signal input to the operating unit on the basis of the relative position detected by the relative-position detecting section.

Abstract: A master manipulator for operating a driving of a slave manipulator includes a grip portion that is positioned in a clean area, gripped by an operator, and provided with a predetermined operating member; and an arm portion that is positioned in an unclean area, and with which the grip portion is directly or indirectly connected. The grip portion has a movable member that moves in conjunction with displacement of the operating member and the arm portion has a position detection portion that detects the position of the movable member.

Abstract: Polyester resins (C) of the invention have a practically sufficient high molecular weight and a high crystallinity and have an amide group in the molecular chain. Processes for producing the polyester resins are also disclosed. In detail, the polyester resins (C) have a practically sufficient high molecular weight and a high crystallinity and have a biodegradable amide group in the molecular chain. Processes for producing the polyester resins are also disclosed. The polyester resins (C) are obtained by reacting an aliphatic polyester resin (A) and a polyisocyanate compound (B) in the presence of an amidation catalyst and contain a specific structural unit.

Abstract: To provide a method capable of producing stereocomplex polylactic acid, the method being capable of using carbon neutral materials that are not competitive from foods, such as saccharides, without the use of a method for designing optical resolution, which requires complicated operations and high cost and is difficult to perform mass production. The production method of the present invention comprises: a step of reacting glycerin with sodium hydroxide in high-temperature and high-pressure water to produce a racemic sodium lactate aqueous solution; a step of separating sodium from the racemic sodium lactate aqueous solution to recover racemic lactic acid; a step of dimerizing the racemic lactic acid to produce a lactide mixture containing meso lactide and racemic lactide; a step of separating meso lactide from the mixture to recover racemic lactide; and a step of polymerizing the racemic lactide with a salen-metal complex as a catalyst to produce stereocomplex polylactic acid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a noble metal fine particle with a protein adsorbed thereon, including a noble metal fine particle, and a protein adsorbed on a surface of the noble metal fine particle. The protein has an isoelectric point in a range of pH 4.0 to 7.5. An amount of the protein adsorbed is in a range of 3 to 55.1 wt % with respect to a total weight of the noble metal fine particle and the protein. The noble metal fine particle with a protein adsorbed thereon according to the present invention has excellent redispersibility.