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 object of the invention is to provide for automatic angular adjustment of an end effector thereby improving on the operability of a medical instrument. The medical system of the invention comprises a medical instrument including a driver for driving adjustment of the angle of the end effector relative to a shaft, a trocar having an insertion opening through which the medical instrument is inserted, a sensor that produces a sensor signal including at least an angle of a shaft in a reference coordinate system, and a driver for enabling follow-up control processing for driving the driver based on a sensor signal produced out of the sensor such that the angle of the end effector follows a follow-up criterion in a reference coordinate system.

Abstract: A surgical support device includes: a driving member which is moved to transmit a driving force to a target; a first position detection unit and a second position detection unit configured to detect a first and a second moving amounts of the driving member; a difference calculation portion configured to detect a difference in length between the first moving amount and the second moving amount, an operating force computing portion configured to compute a magnitude of a force transmitted to the target from the driving member based on the difference in length; and a breakdown detection portion configured to detect at least one of the first position detection unit and the second position detection unit which has broken down, by use of the first moving amount and the second moving amount.

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: A surgical instrument includes an end effector, a manipulation unit, a grip detecting unit, a driving unit, and a control unit. When the control unit determines that the end effector is applying the acting force to the target based on the information acquired by the grip detecting unit, the control unit sets an acting force increasing zone of a predetermined range in a first movable range in the first direction of the manipulation unit, sets a neutral zone in a remaining area of the first movable range, controls the driving unit so that the acting force increases with a constant gradient with respect to an amount of manipulation of the manipulation unit in the acting force increasing zone, and controls the driving unit so that the acting force is kept constant regardless of the amount of manipulation of the manipulation unit in the neutral zone.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer system capable of ensuring a storage capacity to a virtual volume within a pool. According to the present invention, a pool capacity of a block storage is reserved in a specific address range of the virtual volume, and a reserved capacity is allocated during writing of data to a specific address range. Further, when the reserved capacity is not allocated for a given period of time, reservation is freed.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an end effector, a manipulation unit, a grip detecting unit, a driving unit, and a control unit. When the control unit determines that the end effector is applying the acting force to the target based on the information acquired by the grip detecting unit, the control unit sets an acting force increasing zone of a predetermined range in a first movable range in the first direction of the manipulation unit, sets a neutral zone in a remaining area of the first movable range, controls the driving unit so that the acting force increases with a constant gradient with respect to an amount of manipulation of the manipulation unit in the acting force increasing zone, and controls the driving unit so that the acting force is kept constant regardless of the amount of manipulation of the manipulation unit in the neutral zone.

Abstract: A driving assist device 1 includes: an information acquisition unit 20 that detects a driving operation of a driver for the vehicle; a driving skill evaluation unit 24 that evaluates a driving skill of the driver on the basis of a history of the driving operation of the driver; and a driving assist control unit 28 that performs the driving assist control for the vehicle on the basis of the traveling state of the vehicle and the target traveling state. When the information acquisition unit 20 detects the driving operation of the driver during the driving assist control, the driving assist control unit 28 limits the amount of driving assist control for the vehicle according to the driving skill of the driver evaluated and reflects the driving operation amount of the driver in traveling control for the vehicle.

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 present invention is directed to KIAA1199, which is a novel factor involved in decomposition of hyaluronic acid, and to use thereof. More specifically, the invention is directed to a hyaluronic acid decomposition-promoting agent containing the KIAA1199 gene and a protein encoded by the gene; to a hyaluronic acid decomposition-inhibiting agent characterized by inhibiting the activity or expression thereof (including an siRNA or a monoclonal antibody); and to a method for screening a novel hyaluronic acid decomposition-controlling agent, in which the method contains employing the expression of KIAA1199 as an index.

Abstract: A storage system comprises a storage medium including a plurality of physical storage areas. The storage system controls a host computer to recognize a logical volume having a plurality of virtual storage areas, reads the data from the physical storage area assigned to the virtual storage area of the logical volume, determines whether or not the read data includes only the specific pattern data, and cancels the assignment of the physical storage area to the virtual storage area if the read data includes only the specific pattern data.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to KIAA1199, which is a novel factor involved in decomposition of hyaluronic acid, and to use thereof. More specifically, the invention is directed to a hyaluronic acid decomposition-promoting agent containing the KIAA1199 gene and a protein encoded by the gene; to a hyaluronic acid decomposition-inhibiting agent characterized by inhibiting the activity or expression thereof (including an siRNA or a monoclonal antibody); and to a method for screening a novel hyaluronic acid decomposition-controlling agent, in which the method contains employing the expression of KIAA1199 as an index.

Abstract: A storage system comprises a storage medium including a plurality of physical storage areas. The storage system controls a host computer to recognize a logical volume having a plurality of virtual storage areas, reads the data from the physical storage area assigned to the virtual storage area of the logical volume, determines whether or not the read data includes only the specific pattern data, and cancels the assignment of the physical storage area to the virtual storage area if the read data includes only the specific pattern data.

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: A surgery assistance device includes an operation input section, a motion section which is formed with a channel into which a surgical instrument is insertable and is capable of moving through the channel, a movement amount detection means detecting a treatment section movement amount, a motion section information calculation means calculating motion section information, and a motion control unit controlling motion in the motion section based on a manipulation order.

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: The present invention aims to provide a method for manufacturing a solar cell module capable of improving positioning accuracy of solar cell elements relative to a light reflection plate. When a solar cell module is manufactured, a corrugated light reflection plate 4 is first prepared by bonding a thermoplastic resin film 7 to a plastic substrate 6. Subsequently, the light reflection plate 4 is set on a lower mold 10, and a thick resin sheet 12 made from an encapsulation resin is arranged on the light reflection plate 4. Then, vacuum suctioning and hot-press processing are performed sequentially, whereby a precursor assembly 13 is formed with the light reflection plate 4 and the resin sheet 12 attached together. Subsequently, a plurality of solar cell elements 2 is placed on an upper surface of the precursor assembly 13. Then, a thin resin sheet 14 made from the encapsulation resin is arranged on the solar cell elements 2, and a front surface plate 3 is arranged on the resin sheet 14.

Abstract: This storage apparatus for providing a dynamically expandable virtual volume to a host system to access the virtual volume comprises an allocation unit for configuring a group with a plurality of disks for providing a storage area to be allocated to the virtual volume, and allocating the storage area respectively from a plurality of the groups to the virtual volume; and a storage area arrangement unit for rearranging the storage area in each of the groups being used by the virtual volume to become optimal among each of the groups based on external operation.

Abstract: A surgical support device includes: a driving member which is moved to transmit a driving force to a target; a first position detection unit and a second position detection unit configured to detect a first and a second moving amounts of the driving member; a difference calculation portion configured to detect a difference in length between the first moving amount and the second moving amount, an operating force computing portion configured to compute a magnitude of a force transmitted to the target from the driving member based on the difference in length; and a breakdown detection portion configured to detect at least one of the first position detection unit and the second position detection unit which has broken down, by use of the first moving amount and the second second moving amount.

Abstract: A storage system comprises a storage medium including a plurality of physical storage areas. The storage system controls a host computer to recognize a logical volume having a plurality of virtual storage areas, reads the data from the physical storage area assigned to the virtual storage area of the logical volume, determines whether or not the read data includes only the specific pattern data, and cancels the assignment of the physical storage area to the virtual storage area if the read data includes only the specific pattern data.