Abstract: Provided is a manipulator system including: a flexible inserted portion; a manipulator that has a joint portion that is driven at the distal end of the inserted portion; a drive portion that drives the joint portion on the basal-end side of the inserted portion; a shape estimating portion that estimates the shape of the inserted portion; and a control portion that controls the drive portion based on the shape of the estimated inserted portion, wherein the shape estimating portion is provided with detection targets that are arranged, with spaces therebetween, in the inserted portion in the longitudinal direction thereof, a position detection portion that detects three-dimensional positions of the detection targets, and a shape calculating portion that calculates, on the basis of the three-dimensional positions of the detected detection targets, the shape of the inserted portion by dividing the inserted portion into sections in the longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: A manipulator and manipulator system in which a dynamic surplus is rapidly removed and a moving part actuates rapidly in association with the operation of an operating part. The manipulator includes an operating part operated by an operator, a moving part operated by the operating part, a transmitting part for coupling the operating part to the moving part to transmit driving force of the operating part to the moving part, a transmission compensating part for making up for a dynamic surplus occurring in the transmitting part in association with the operation of the operating part, an input part for acquiring a state of at least one of the operating, moving and transmitting part, and a control unit for controlling the transmission compensating part depending on the state acquired by the input part.

Abstract: Provided is a manipulator system including: a manipulator that has an insertion section composed of a flexible section and a bending section and that has a bending-section drive unit for driving the bending section; an operation input unit; a flexible-section shape detecting unit and a bending-section shape detecting unit that detect curved shapes of the flexible section and the bending section, respectively; compensation-value setting units that set a compensation value on the basis of the curved shape detected by each of the shape detecting units; and a control unit that generates a curvature control signal for driving the bending-section drive unit according to an operating instruction input via the operation input unit and furthermore corrects the curvature control signal using the compensation value and transmits it to the bending-section drive unit.

Abstract: The invention has for its object to provide a manipulator and manipulator system in which a dynamic surplus is rapidly removed and a moving assembly actuates rapidly in association with the operation of an operating assembly. The manipulator 1 includes an operating assembly 2 operated by an operator, a moving assembly 3 operated by the operating assembly 2, a transmitting assembly 4 for coupling the operating assembly 2 to the moving assembly 3 to transmit driving force of the operating assembly 2 to the moving assembly 3, and a transmission compensating assembly 6 for making up for a dynamic surplus occurring in the transmitting assembly 4 in association with the operation of the operating assembly 2.

Abstract: Provided is a manipulator system including: a manipulator that has a treatment tool, an insertion portion having a plurality of channels, and treatment-tool driving parts that move the treatment tool forward/backward and/or rotate the treatment tool in the corresponding channel; an operation input unit to which an operation instruction is input; a channel-in-use detecting part that detects the channel into which the treatment tool has been inserted; a compensation-value setting unit that sets a compensation value on the basis of the channel detected by the channel-in-use detecting part; and a control unit that generates a control signal according to the operation instruction, compensates the generated control signal by using the compensation value, and sends the compensated control signal to the treatment-tool driving part.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a nitrogen-containing carbon alloy having a sufficiently high oxygen reduction reaction activity, a nitrogen-containing carbon alloy, and a fuel cell catalyst. The method for manufacturing a nitrogen-containing carbon alloy comprises sintering a precursor which contains a nitrogen-containing compound and an inorganic metal salt, the nitrogen-containing compound having at least one heteroaromatic ring and a conjugated heterocycle, and the conjugated heterocycle having 12 or larger number of ring-forming atoms.

Abstract: A manipulator includes an elongated main unit, a bending portion, and a distal end portion that are disposed in this order from a basal end; a plurality of main bending mechanisms having main linear members that extend from the distal end portion to the main unit, main motive-power generating portions), and main motive-power transmitting portions that transmit motive powers generated by the main motive-power generating portions to the main linear members in the form of linear motions in the longitudinal direction; a plurality of auxiliary bending mechanisms that are provided so as to form pairs with the respective main bending mechanisms and parallel thereto and that exert a pressing force and a tensile force on the distal end portion; and switching portions that selectively actuate either the main bending mechanisms or the auxiliary bending mechanisms, which are paired.

Abstract: A medical manipulator includes: an operation member configured to drive so as to operate a treatment tool; a treatment tool side drive shaft configured to rotate about an axis thereof so as to drive the operation member; an operation amount detection member connected to the treatment tool; a treatment tool side detection shaft configured to rotate about an axis thereof in accordance with displacement of the operation amount detection member; a drive unit side drive shaft engaged with the treatment tool side drive shaft; a drive unit side detection shaft engaged with the treatment tool side detection shaft; a shape regulation section configured to regulate a shape of the treatment tool to a predetermined operation state; and a phase setting section configured to set phases in rotational directions of the treatment tool side drive shaft and the treatment tool side detection shaft.

Abstract: A problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a production method of a nitrogen-containing carbon alloy that has sufficiently high redox activity or has a large number of reaction electrons of redox reaction.