Abstract: A continuum robot includes: a first wire; a second wire; a distal guide configured to hold the first wire and the second wire; a proximal guide slidable relative to the first wire and the second wire; a plurality of wire guides provided between the distal guide and the proximal guide; a driving unit configured to drive the first wire and the second wire; and a control unit configured to control the driving unit. The first wire is fixed to the plurality of wire guides, the second wire is slidable relative to the plurality of wire guides, and the control unit controls the driving unit so as to keep a distance between the proximal guide and a wire guide among the plurality of wire guides provided nearest to the proximal guide constant.

Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus for a continuum robot system includes: a continuum robot (1), which includes a plurality of curvable portions (111, 112) provided in series in a longitudinal axial direction thereof and each being curvable, and is capable of being moved in the longitudinal axial direction; a drive unit (2) configured to move the continuum robot (1) in the longitudinal axial direction; and a plurality of angle control motors (211, 212) configured to change a distal-end angle (?1, ?2) for each of the plurality of curvable portions (111, 112). The control apparatus includes a drive unit speed calculation/control unit (44) configured to calculate a followable speed, and to control the drive unit (2). The drive unit speed calculation/control unit (44) controls the drive unit (2) to move the continuum robot at a speed equal to or lower than the followable speed.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a continuum robot including a curved portion that is curved by driving a wire with a driving mechanism includes an image DB/torsional-amount acquisition unit that obtains the torsional amount of the continuum robot and a kinematic operation unit that sets the driving displacement amount of the wire driven by the driving mechanism on the basis of the torsional amount obtained by the image DB/torsional-amount acquisition unit.

Abstract: A continuum robot includes a curvable first curvable portion, a curvable second curvable portion provided adjacent to the first curvable portion, a first wire connected to the first curvable portion, a second wire connected to the second curvable portion, and a control unit which controls curves of the first curvable portion and the second curvable portion by controlling driving of the first wire and the second wire. The control unit controls driving of the first wire and the second wire on the basis of a kinematic model in consideration of a curve of the second curvable portion accompanying driving the first wire and a curve of the first curvable portion accompanying driving of the second wire. Alternatively, the control unit controls driving of the first wire and the second wire so that a curve target value of the first curvable portion is achieved by the sum of curved amounts of the first curvable portion and the second curvable portion.

Abstract: To provide a technology of reducing a difference with respect to a target position of a curvable portion of a continuum robot which is to move forward substantially along a trajectory including a branched trajectory and a space. A continuum robot includes a plurality of curvable portions separately driven by wires, and control units which control positions of a plurality of curvable portions in accordance with a kinematic model. A modification value for modifying the kinematic model based on a target position and a measured position about each of the cases in which the plurality of curvable portions take a plurality of positions having at least one intersection is calculated. Modification uses a modification result in at least one of the plurality of positions as an initial value to modify the kinematic model in another position, and synthesizes the plurality of modification values.

Abstract: A puncture planning apparatus has: a simulation unit that simulates movement of an organ and a puncture needle by simulation using an organ model; and a planning unit that plans, based on the simulation result, how to move the puncture needle when an actual organ is punctured. The simulation unit executes a plurality of times of the simulation of an operation to advance the puncture needle while correcting an angle of the puncture needle so as to follow the movement of the target segment due to deformation of the organ, conditions of an advancement speed of the puncture needle are changed for each of the plurality times of the simulation, and the planning unit performs planning using the best simulation result out of the plurality of simulation results acquired under different conditions of the advancement speed.

Abstract: The subject disclosure is directed to an articulated medical device having a hollow cavity, wherein the device is capable of maneuvering within a patient, and allowing a medical tool to be guided through the hollow cavity for medical procedures, including endoscopes, cameras, and catheters.

Abstract: A puncture planning apparatus has: a simulation unit that simulates movement of an organ and a puncture needle by simulation using an organ model; and a planning unit that plans, based on the simulation result, how to move the puncture needle when an actual organ is punctured. The simulation unit executes a plurality of times of the simulation of an operation to advance the puncture needle while correcting an angle of the puncture needle so as to follow the movement of the target segment due to deformation of the organ, conditions of an advancement speed of the puncture needle are changed for each of the plurality times of the simulation, and the planning unit performs planning using the best simulation result out of the plurality of simulation results acquired under different conditions of the advancement speed.

Abstract: A joint torque computing unit computes a joint torque T1 of a joint necessary to move a joint angle to a target joint angle. A summing unit obtains a sum value U1 indicating the sum of generated forces generated at actuators, from a target stiffness. A setting unit sets a restricting coefficient h1 to a value greater than 1 when performing non-antagonistic driving, and to 1 when performing antagonistic driving. A restricting unit takes |T1|<U1×r×h1 as restricting condition where r is moment arm radius, and restricts the joint torque T1 to a range satisfying the conditions. A generated force computing unit computes the generated force of the actuators based on the restricted joint torque T1. The setting unit sets the restricting coefficient h1 to gradually near 1 when switching from non-antagonistic driving to antagonistic driving.

Abstract: A continuum robot having at least two independently manipulatable bendable section for advancing the robot through a passage, without contacting fragile elements within the passage, wherein the robot incorporates control algorithms that enable the continuum robot to operate and advance into the passage, as well as the systems and procedures associated with the continuum robot and said functionality.

Abstract: The present application relates to a flexible manipulator including at least one flexible member (bend) controlled by an input device in the form of a joystick. Specifically, to prevent the flexible manipulator inserted into a narrow space from contacting surrounding objects, the flexible manipulator according to the present invention is configured to maintain the shape when the operator releases the joystick. However, when the flexible manipulator is shaped to be at a target position and subsequently needs to be returned to the original shape, the operator manipulates the joystick using complicated and time consuming manipulation techniques. A control device in communication with the flexible manipulator is configured to allow the operator to select an input method for maintaining the shape of the flexible manipulator after the joystick is released. In addition, an input method for returning the flexible manipulator to the original shape may be selected.

Abstract: A kinematic model arithmetic portion calculates a coordinate value (ze1 (?e)) as distance information indicating the distance between a member that serves as a reference surface for the curve shape of a curvable portion and a member in the curvable portion that is closest to the reference surface. A switch determination unit determines based on the coordinate value whether to drive a wire for driving the curvable portion by a drive displacement calculated for the wire along with the coordinate value by the kinematic model arithmetic portion.

Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus for a continuum robot system includes: a continuum robot (1), which includes a plurality of curvable portions (111, 112) provided in series in a longitudinal axial direction thereof and each being curvable, and is capable of being moved in the longitudinal axial direction; a drive unit (2) configured to move the continuum robot (1) in the longitudinal axial direction; and a plurality of angle control motors (211, 212) configured to change a distal-end angle (?1, ?2) for each of the plurality of curvable portions (111, 112). The control apparatus includes a drive unit speed calculation/control unit (44) configured to calculate a followable speed, and to control the drive unit (2). The drive unit speed calculation/control unit (44) controls the drive unit (2) to move the continuum robot at a speed equal to or lower than the followable speed.

Abstract: A wire-driven manipulator including a driver, a first deforming section including a first distal member, a plurality of first guide members, and a plurality of first wires, and a second deforming section provided between the first deforming section and the driver with the second deforming section including a second distal member, a plurality of second guide members, and a plurality of second wires. The plurality of first wires are fixed to the first distal member, and at least one of the plurality of first wires is further fixed to the plurality of first guide members and other wires of the plurality of the first wires are slidable with respect to the plurality of first guide members. The plurality of second wires are fixed to the second distal member, and at least one of the plurality of second wires is further fixed to the plurality of second guide members and the other wires of the plurality of the first wires are slidable with respect to the plurality of second guide members.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for controlling a flexible manipulator including a plurality of bendable mechanisms via a control apparatus. The control apparatus includes a drive-mode selecting unit allows for the selection of a movement mode which may provide a bending movement, an angled view movement, or a remote center movement.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a robot system controlling method and robot system which perform link angle control and joint stiffness control through feedback control.

Abstract: The puncture control system includes a trajectory error compensation filter for outputting a control signal for compensating for the error of a puncture needle from a target trajectory based on information on the position of the puncture needle obtained by a detector, a displacement compensation filter for which initial control parameters are determined based on a model representing characteristics of an organ, and an adder for outputting an added signal obtained by adding outputs of the trajectory error compensation filter and the displacement compensation filter. The organ model is used to predict a displacement of a puncture target position and sequentially determine a course of the puncture needle.

Abstract: A control method of a robot apparatus, the robot apparatus including a link and a pair of actuators, obtaining each driving force command value of each of the actuators, and controlling each of the actuators, the control method including: a torque command value calculation step of using the target stiffness, the target trajectory, angular velocity of the target trajectory, and angular acceleration of the target trajectory to calculate a torque command value; a determination step of determining whether each of the driving force command values is a value 0 or greater; a change step of performing at least one of a change of increasing the target stiffness and a change of reducing the angular acceleration; and a driving force command value calculation step of using the target stiffness and the torque command value to calculate each of the driving force command values.

Abstract: A control method of a robot apparatus, the robot apparatus including a link and a pair of actuators, obtaining each driving force command value of each of the actuators, and controlling each of the actuators, the control method including: a torque command value computation step; a change computation step of computing a difference between the joint stiffness command value and a value and performing a computation of subtracting a value from the joint stiffness command value; an iterative step of iterating the computations of the torque command value computation step and the change computation step until the difference converges to a value equal to or smaller than a predetermined value; and a driving force command value computation step to compute each of the driving force command values when the difference is converged to a value equal to or smaller than the predetermined value.

Abstract: The robotics apparatus includes an f1-actuator for driving a first link, an f2-actuator for driving a second link, an actuator for simultaneously driving both links, and a CPU for controlling those actuators. The CPU sets a driving-force command value to an e3-actuator to a predetermined set value. Moreover, the CPU calculates a driving-force command value to the f1-actuator based on the driving-force command value and a target joint angle for a first joint. The CPU calculates a driving-force command value to the f2-actuator and a target joint angle for a second joint. It achieves a control for allowing a distal end of a second link to track a target trajectory and stiffness control at the distal end of the second link with a smaller number of driving sources than that of a conventional 3-pair 6-muscle manipulator.