Abstract: A passive joint device for supporting a rotation-side member rotatably about a horizontal axis in a vertical direction with respect to a fixed-side member, includes: a cylindrical cam member having a pair of cam surfaces symmetrically arranged about a horizontal axis, a pedestal slidably disposed along the horizontal axis fixed to the rotation-side member, the pedestal having a pair of cam followers that contact with each of the pair of cam surfaces, a spring disposed inside the horizontal axis and biasing the pedestal toward the fixed-side member along the horizontal axis, wherein the spring force causes the pair of cam followers to come into contact with the pair of cam surfaces, and provide upward rotational force to the rotation-side member to reduce the downward rotational force of the rotation-side member.

Abstract: A surgery supporting apparatus is capable of controlling a posture of a surgical instrument that is inserted into a body cavity and mechanically drivable. The apparatus includes a robot arm that can control the posture of the surgical instrument, which is attached to the robot arm via a gimbal mechanism.

Abstract: A surgery supporting apparatus capable of performing a manipulation using a surgical instrument to be inserted into a body cavity, comprises a measurement device configured to measure an insertion depth and an insertion angle, with respect to the body cavity, of a shaft of the surgical instrument inserted into the body cavity, as input of the manipulation, wherein the measurement device measures the insertion depth by measuring a sound wave propagating in a space between a transmitter attached to one of the surgical instrument and a position within a predetermined range from a position of insertion to the body cavity, and a receiver attached to the other.

Abstract: A surgery supporting apparatus is capable of controlling a posture of a first surgical instrument that is inserted into a body cavity and mechanically drivable, by using a second surgical instrument to be inserted into the body cavity. The apparatus comprises a robot arm configured to control the posture of the first surgical instrument attached to the robot arm. Instructions stored in a memory cause the apparatus to function as a control unit configured to control the motion of the robot arm such that the posture of the first surgical instrument is controlled in accordance with the posture of the second surgical instrument, in a case of a first mode, and controls the motion of the robot arm in accordance with a manipulation including contact to the robot arm, in a case of a second mode.

Abstract: A surgery assisting apparatus for controlling a posture of a first surgical tool to be inserted into a body cavity and mechanically driven, by using a second surgical tool to be inserted into the body cavity, comprises: a mode switch configured to switch a first mode and a second mode, the second surgical tool being used to control the first surgical tool in the second mode; one or more sensors configured to measure an angle and depth of insertion of a shaft of the second surgical tool into the body cavity; and at least one memory and at least one processor which function as a computing unit configured to determine a target position of a control point that is a point for specifying the posture of the first surgical tool in order to control the posture of the first surgical tool.

Abstract: A passive joint device for supporting a rotation-side member rotatably about a horizontal axis in a vertical direction with respect to a fixed-side member, includes: a cylindrical cam member having a pair of cam surfaces symmetrically arranged about a horizontal axis, a pedestal slidably disposed along the horizontal axis fixed to the rotation-side member, the pedestal having a pair of cam followers that contact with each of the pair of cam surfaces, a spring disposed inside the horizontal axis and biasing the pedestal toward the fixed-side member along the horizontal axis, wherein the spring force causes the pair of cam followers to come into contact with the pair of cam surfaces, and provide upward rotational force to the rotation-side member to reduce the downward rotational force of the rotation-side member.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and medium for controlling a progress of a video game are provided. A user interface element of the video game is displayed on a display screen. The user interface element is displayed with transparency determined during the progress of the video game. An operation to the user interface element displayed on the display screen is received regardless of the transparency. The progress of the video game is controlled in accordance with the operation to the user interface element displayed on the display screen.

Abstract: A surgery assisting apparatus comprises: a distance measuring unit configured to measure a distance to an object in a body cavity; a hollow tube including a cylindrical portion to be partially inserted into the body cavity and a portion that performs distance measurement by the distance measuring unit, the hollow tube enabling distance measurement in a given position on a circumference at a predetermined distance from a major axis of the cylindrical portion; and a controller configured to control the position on the circumference around the major axis where the distance measuring unit performs distance measurement, such that approach of a medical instrument inserted into the body cavity to the object is sensed, wherein the controller controls the position on the circumference around the major axis in accordance with an advancing direction of a distal end of the medical instrument.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and medium for controlling a progress of a video game are provided. A user interface element of the video game is displayed on a display screen. The user interface element is displayed with transparency determined during the progress of the video game. An operation to the user interface element displayed on the display screen is received regardless of the transparency. The progress of the video game is controlled in accordance with the operation to the user interface element displayed on the display screen.

Abstract: A surgery assisting apparatus comprises: a distance measuring unit configured to measure a distance to an object in a body cavity; a hollow tube including a cylindrical portion to be partially inserted into the body cavity and a portion that performs distance measurement by the distance measuring unit, the hollow tube enabling distance measurement in a given position on a circumference at a predetermined distance from a major axis of the cylindrical portion; and a controller configured to control the position on the circumference around the major axis where the distance measuring unit performs distance measurement, such that approach of a medical instrument inserted into the body cavity to the object is sensed, wherein the controller controls the position on the circumference around the major axis in accordance with an advancing direction of a distal end of the medical instrument.

Abstract: A surgery supporting apparatus is capable of controlling a posture of a first surgical instrument that is inserted into a body cavity and mechanically drivable, by using a second surgical instrument to be inserted into the body cavity. The apparatus comprises a robot arm configured to control the posture of the first surgical instrument attached to the robot arm. Instructions stored in a memory cause the apparatus to function as a control unit configured to control the motion of the robot arm such that the posture of the first surgical instrument is controlled in accordance with the posture of the second surgical instrument, in a case of a first mode, and controls the motion of the robot arm in accordance with a manipulation including contact to the robot arm, in a case of a second mode.

Abstract: A surgery supporting apparatus capable of performing a manipulation using a surgical instrument to be inserted into a body cavity, comprises a measurement device configured to measure an insertion depth and an insertion angle, with respect to the body cavity, of a shaft of the surgical instrument inserted into the body cavity, as input of the manipulation, wherein the measurement device measures the insertion depth by measuring a sound wave propagating in a space between a transmitter attached to one of the surgical instrument and a position within a predetermined range from a position of insertion to the body cavity, and a receiver attached to the other.

Abstract: A surgery assisting apparatus for controlling a posture of a first surgical tool to be inserted into a body cavity and mechanically driven, by using a second surgical tool to be inserted into the body cavity, comprises: a mode switch configured to switch a first mode and a second mode, the second surgical tool being used to control the first surgical tool in the second mode; one or more sensors configured to measure an angle and depth of insertion of a shaft of the second surgical tool into the body cavity; and at least one memory and at least one processor which function as a computing unit configured to determine a target position of a control point that is a point for specifying the posture of the first surgical tool in order to control the posture of the first surgical tool.

Abstract: The present invention provides a game apparatus in which the variation width of a computation result in a battle between a player character and an enemy character is increased, and a difference in result can be brought about even with the same attack by a player's operation, and furthermore, a player can play a game while he/she feels the sense of realism and tension where he/she manipulates the character that is difficult to manipulate as intended. A chain used by a main character to manipulate a dragon is displayed on a display screen. A player manipulates the dragon by loosening or tightening the chain by performing an operation on a touch panel. The control level of the dragon is represented by an uncontrollability parameter. A status such as the offensive power of the dragon changes according to the uncontrollability parameter.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and medium for controlling a progress of a video game are provided. A user interface element of the video game is displayed on a display screen. The user interface element is displayed with transparency determined during the progress of the video game. An operation to the user interface element displayed on the display screen is received regardless of the transparency. The progress of the video game is controlled in accordance with the operation to the user interface element displayed on the display screen.

Abstract: A user interface processing apparatus is provided. A user interface element such as a virtual controller is displayed on a display screen. When an operation to the displayed user interface element is received from a player, the application is controlled in accordance with the received operation. A learning level of the player is determined in accordance with a control state of the application, such as utilization time of the application and the number of executions of a predetermined function in the application. The transparency is increased in accordance with the determined learning level. In a case where it is detected that an operation state of the user interface element continues for a certain period of time, transparency of the user interface element to increase is determined. The user interface element is displayed with the determined transparency.

Abstract: A user interface processing apparatus for controlling an application is provided. In the user interface processing apparatus, a touch on a display screen by means of a contact operation by a user on a touch panel is received. A touched position on the touch panel is detected when the touch on the display screen is received. The touched position is a position touched by the player on the display screen. A virtual controller is displayed at a predetermined position on the display screen corresponding to the detected touched position in a case where the touch on the display screen is received. An operation of the virtual controller displayed on the display screen is received from the player. The application is controlled in accordance with the operation received from the player.

Abstract: A video game processing apparatus includes a virtual card information memory for storing virtual card information on virtual cards used for a fighting in a video game and a player information memory for storing player information. The virtual card information indicates the attack content and an attack condition. The player information contains setup virtual card information indicating a setup virtual card set up by the player as a virtual card used for the fighting. It is determined whether there is a setup virtual card whose attack condition is satisfied among the setup virtual cards on the basis of a time measured by a timer. In a case where there are plural setup virtual cards for which it is determined that their attack conditions are respectively satisfied within a predetermined time interval, bonus processing according to a combination of the plural setup virtual cards is carried out.

Abstract: Spotlight information that contains at least coordinate information indicating a coordinate at which an object is positioned is generated in accordance with a selection operation for selecting the object. A spotlight screen, including a spotlight illuminating region for receiving an operation input and a darkened region for receiving a request to cancel the selection operation, is displayed in accordance with the generated spotlight information. The received selection operation is determined in a case where a selection of the spotlight illuminating region is received. A predetermined region having its center at a coordinate at which the object is positioned is determined as the spotlight illuminating region. A predetermined region including a coordinate on which an object, for which the selection operation is not received, exists is determined as the darkened region in a case where there is the object within the spotlight illuminating region.

Abstract: It is possible to generate a game element in accordance with the customization state of a media reproduction device, which exhibits a uniqueness of user. Provided is a media reproduction device which acquires related attribution information from stored media data, selects an object corresponding to the attribution information from a list, and generates the object during a game.