MULTI-JOINT MANIPULATOR DEVICE AND ENDOSCOPE SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME

摘要

A multi-joint manipulator device is provided with a tubular member (2) having a plurality of joints (18). A plurality of linear power transmission members (19) are inserted into the tubular member wherein one end of each linear power transmission member (19) is fixed in the vicinity of a joint and the other end is fixed to an actuator (25). The actuators (25) move the linear power transmission members (19) and bend the tubular member (2). Position sensors (26) detect the positions of the linear power transmission members (19), and tension sensors (27) detect the tensions of the linear power transmission members (19). An operating unit (6) inputs as targets the position and attitude of a target site of the tubular member (2) and a member (16) attached to the tubular member (2). A movement amount calculation unit (11) calculates the current position and attitude of the target site from the detected position of the linear power transmission members (19), and calculates the amount of movement of the linear power transmission members (19) required for moving the target site from the current position and attitude to the targeted position and attitude in accordance with the tension of the linear power transmission members (19) detected by the tension sensors (27).