Abstract: The endoscope system includes an endoscope including an imaging unit that is capable of taking an image of a subject of interest, a display unit for displaying an image taken by the imaging unit, an endoscopic position sensor for detecting a position of the endoscope in the body cavity, a distance measurement unit for measuring a distance from a distal end of the endoscope to the subject of interest, a position calculation unit for computing the positions of the distal end of the endoscope and the subject of interest on the basis of information from the endoscopic position sensor and the distance measurement unit, a position storage unit for storing a position of the subject of interest computed by the position calculation unit, and a direction indication unit for indicating a direction in which the subject of interest is present on the display unit.

Abstract: A trocar sensor unit including a base that is configured to be attached to and detached from a trocar and that has a through-hole through which an insertion section to be inserted into the trocar is inserted; a moving member that has a pressing surface forming at least a portion of an inner surface of the through-hole of the base and that is configured to be moved in a radial direction of the through-hole; and a sensor that is disposed in at least one of the moving member and a portion of the inner surface of the through-hole opposite the pressing surface and that detects the amount of movement of a surface of the insertion section in the through-hole.

Abstract: [Object] To implement more efficient and high convenient processing depending on the stage of service. [Solution] There is provided a wireless communication system including: a plurality of wireless communication devices configured to transmit a signal relating to provision of service. The service includes a plurality of stages relating to provision. A plurality of the wireless communication devices correspond to a plurality of the respective stages and transmit the signal corresponding to the stage with radio field intensity corresponding to the stage. In addition, there is provided a wireless communication device including: a transmitter configured to transmit a signal relating to a request of service; and a receiver configured to receive a signal relating to provision of the service from a connection device connected on the basis of a signal relating to the request. The service includes a plurality of stages relating to provision.

Abstract: The technology disclosed herein is directed to a medical manipulator system having a medical device. The medical device such as endoscope or other surgical instrument includes an elongated insertion portion. A holder assembly includes an articulated arm carrying the medical device that is attached thereto and is actuated following movement of the medical device and holds the medical device in a stationary state at a desired position. A position/attitude detection unit detects positions and attitudes of the elongated insertion portion in plurality states into which the medical device is caused to swing about a constraint point. A constraint point estimation unit estimates a position of the constraint point based on the positions and attitudes of the insertion portion as detected by the position/attitude detection unit.

Abstract: A medical manipulator includes: an insertion section having a main movable section and a distal end rigid section; a manipulator at which a treatment section is provided; an auxiliary movable section configured to move the treatment section; an imaging section configured to acquire an image in a field-of-vision range; a manipulation unit configured to output an instruction that specifies a position to which the treatment section is moved; a display configured to display the image; a determination unit configured to determine whether a condition is a partial movement condition or an entire movement condition when the determination unit receives the instruction; and a driving unit configured to drive the auxiliary movable section, the main movable section, and the imaging section based on determination of the determination unit.

Abstract: The disclosed technology is directed to a medical instrument holding device comprises a holding portion configured to hold a first medical instrument having a first insertion portion to be inserted into an abdominal cavity of a patient. An arm is connected to the holding portion and including at least one joint. A base is connected to a proximal end side of the arm. A first sensor is configured to detect an external force caused by a second insertion portion of a second medical instrument in the abdominal cavity. A controller is configured to generate a first control signal for actuating the arm based on the external force detected by the first sensor.

Abstract: A driving assistance control device includes an active pedal configured to control a driving and braking force of a vehicle, an electronic control unit configured to detect a potential risk area in which an obstacle entering a scheduled traveling route of the vehicle is likely to be present, and determine a reference speed at which contact between the vehicle and the obstacle can be avoided even when the obstacle enters the scheduled traveling route of the vehicle from the detected potential risk area based on a positional relationship between the vehicle and the potential risk area, and a force feedback unit configured to apply an assistance reaction force in a direction in which the amount of manipulation is reduced, to the active pedal when a current speed of the vehicle exceeds the reference speed.

Abstract: A drive assist apparatus includes an electronic control unit configured to: compute, when an object that causes a blind spot is ahead of a host vehicle, a first reference velocity which is a velocity at which the host vehicle is able to run without colliding with a moving object assumed to be in the blind spot of the object; estimate a degree of risk associated with a road on which the host vehicle is running, based on environment information that indicates a running environment of the host vehicle; and compute a second reference velocity which is determined by correcting the first reference velocity based on the estimated degree of risk.

Abstract: An operation support device includes a manipulation input unit and an operating section to which a surgical instrument is attached and which operates the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a treatment section, a flexible insertion section, and a manipulation section which is fixed to the flexible insertion section. The manipulation input unit further includes a detection body which is attached to the manipulation section, and a detecting device which detects the detection body. The detecting device calculates information which is capable of specifying a position and/or an orientation of the detection body. On the basis of the information which is calculated by the detecting device, a control device controls an operation of the surgical instrument by outputting to the operating section an order of moving the surgical instrument as a manipulation order.

Abstract: A medical manipulator includes: an insertion portion, an end effector, a bend restraining unit, a position detector, an operation unit, a first drive unit, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to generate the first drive signal based on an output and the position of the bend restraining unit which is detected by the position detector. The output is output from the operation unit that operates the bending portion.

Abstract: An endoscope system is provided with an operation part, an elongated part, an imaging part, a control part, a display part, a rotation operation input part, and a rotation coupling part that rotates an imaging field of view in the imaging part around the optical axis in accordance with the rotation amount provided to the control part, wherein the control part outputs to the display part an image which has been captured by the imaging part and is brought into a state in which the field of view is rotated by the rotation coupling part.

Abstract: The technology disclosed herein is directed to an endoscope system. The endoscope system includes an endoscope, a sensor; and a controller. The controller is configured to control the endoscope. The controller includes one or more processors. The one or more processors is configured (i) to extract first feature points from a first image captured by the endoscope, (ii) to extract second feature points from a second image captured by the endoscope after acquisition of the first image, (iii) to estimate a first result of position and orientation of the endoscope based on the first feature points and the second feature points, (iv) to calculate a first estimation accuracy based on the first result. When the first estimation accuracy is greater than a predetermined value, the one or more processors utilizes the first result as position and orientation of the endoscope.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a steering assist torque determination unit and a steering assist torque control unit. The steering assist torque determination unit determines a steering assist torque including a first component that is determined on the basis of a deviation between an actual steering angle and a target steering angle for achieving a target path determined irrespective of driver's steering. The steering assist torque control unit controls a steering assist mechanism such that the steering assist torque is applied. The ratio of the magnitude of the first component of the steering assist torque to the deviation between the target steering angle and the actual steering angle is determined on the basis of the magnitude of the deviation between the steering assist torque and the driver's steering torque in a past predetermined period.

Abstract: A medical system includes: a distal end having an imager and a plurality of joints; a drive part configured to generate power for operating the joints; and a controller configured to control the drive part, and the controller includes: a characteristic point setting part configured to extract characteristic points of an object and recognizes the object based on the characteristic points; a distance measurement part configured to measure the distance between the imager and the object; a correction amount calculation part configured to calculate the amount of operation of the joints such that the imager is directed to the object and adjust the distance between the imager and the object to a predetermined distance; and a drive signal generation part configured to generate a drive signal for operating the drive part based on the amount of operation and output the drive signal to the drive part.

Abstract: This medical manipulator includes a body section, an insertion section, a channel, a movement amount detection section configured to detect an amount of movement of a medical treatment tool inserted through a body-side channel provided in the body section, a distal-end-side contact section provided to be in contact with the medical treatment tool inserted through an insertion-side channel arranged in the insertion section and configured to rotate about its own axis to move the medical treatment tool, a first drive section configured to rotate the distal-end-side contact section. The distal-end-side contact section is rotated so as to move the medical treatment tool with respect to the insertion-side channel by an amount of movement which is the same as the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detection section.

Abstract: The invention provides an easy-to-manipulate manipulator comprising a manipulating part, a manual joint part that is driven directly by displacement of the manipulating part, a detection unit for detecting an amount of displacement of the manipulating part, a device that moves depending on the amount of displacement detected at the detection unit, an electric joint part that is driven by the device, and a selection portion for selectively determining whether the electric joint part is driven or not.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to automatically adjust the angle of an end effector to improve on the operability of medical treatment tools. The medical system of the invention comprises a slave medical treatment tool to be controlled and including a moving joint for adjusting the angle of a first end effector relative to a first shaft; a master medical instrument serving as a master control instrument and including a second end effector located at a distal end of a second shaft; a sensor that produces a sensor signal including at least an angle of the second end effector; and a controller that enables follow-up processing for driving a driver such that the angle of the first end effector follows a follow-up criterion set on the basis of a sensor signal produced out of the sensor.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an insertion part having a bending part; an observation unit; an operation unit configured to operate the bending part; a driving mechanism configured to generate a driving force used to drive the bending part; a control unit configured to control the driving mechanism; and a display unit configured to display a visual field image acquired by the observation unit, wherein the control unit has a normal mode and a lock-on mode as control modes, and the control unit is configured to stop an automatic driving of the bending part temporarily and allow the operation unit to perform a resetting of an interested position when an output from the operation unit exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and resume the automatic driving on the basis of the updated interested position when an output from the operation unit satisfies a predetermined termination condition during the lock-on mode.

Abstract: A manipulator including an elongated shaft, at least one joint disposed at a distal end of the shaft, a manipulating part via which a movement instruction for the joint is input, and a driving unit that drives the joint according to the movement instruction input via the manipulating part. The manipulating part includes a handle fixed to the shaft and gripped in one hand of an operator, a displaceable member that is disposed at a position along which at least one finger of the hand gripping the handle can be extended and that can be displaced by a movement of the finger extending therealong, and a sensor that detects displacement of the displaceable member and outputs it as the movement instruction.

Abstract: A medical manipulator including an insertion portion, where the insertion section including a bending portion and an end effector disposed on a distal end side of the insertion portion. The medical manipulator further including a motor configured to generate a first drive force for moving the bending portion; a lever configured to generate a second drive force for moving the bending portion, the lever being used to move the bending portion instead of the motor; a wire configured to transmit the first drive force or the second drive force to the bending portion; and a transmission blocking device configured to switch from the first drive force to the second drive force.