Position / force control system, position / force controller, position / force control method, and program

Abstract

To present tactile sensation closer to massage in the case of an operator directly operating a user, using an apparatus for performing massage.SOLUTION: A position / force control system 1 includes: one or a plurality of master devices 10 for receiving input of operation action; one or a plurality of slave devices 20 for outputting operation action; and a controller 30 for controlling the master devices 10 and the slave devices 20. The controller 30 transmits, to the slave devices 20, a control parameter for making the slave devices 20 output force tactile sensation corresponding to operation action input to the master devices 10 and transmits, to the master devices 10, a control parameter for making the master devices 10 output reaction force corresponding to the operation action output by the slave devices 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a position / force control system, a position / force control device, a position / force control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a massage chair that massages a user's body is known. The massage chair has, for example, a function of massaging the user's back, shoulders, etc. while moving a pressing member built into the backrest, and various improvements have been made so that a massage close to the treatment performed by a therapist such as a masseur can be performed. Note that Patent Document 1 describes a technique related to a massage machine that estimates the user's feeling with respect to a massage operation and controls the change of the massage operation in a direction preferred by the user based on the estimated feeling. The technique described in Patent Document 1 aims to perform an effective massage according to the user's feeling that changes as the massage progresses and to improve the reliability of the estimated feeling.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the massage machine described in Patent Document 1 includes a physiological signal detection means for detecting a physiological signal, a feeling estimation means for estimating the user's feeling with respect to a massage operation based on the detected physiological signal, and a history information storage means for storing at least the change control of the massage operation as history information for each user, and aims to realize an effective massage (presentation of touch) estimated to be comfortable for the user. Therefore, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, based on the estimation result of the massage machine, a massage operation estimated to be comfortable for the user is performed. As a result, there is a high possibility that it is different from the treatment content that would be executed when a practitioner such as a licensed therapist or a masseur touches the user's body and makes a judgment. That is, in the conventional technology, it has been difficult for a device that performs massage to present a tactile sensation similar to that of a direct massage by a practitioner on a user.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to present a tactile sensation closer to that of a massage when a practitioner directly performs a treatment on a user by a device that performs massage.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, a position / force control system according to an aspect of the present invention includes: one or more master devices that receive an input of a treatment operation; one or more slave devices that output a treatment operation; a control unit that controls the master device and the slave device, wherein the control unit transmits to the slave device a control parameter for causing the slave device to output a force sense corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device, and transmits to the master device a control parameter for causing the master device to output a reaction force to the treatment operation output by the slave device.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, a tactile sensation closer to that of a massage when a practitioner directly performs a treatment on a user can be presented by a device that performs massage.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Configuration] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the system configuration of a position / force control system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the position / force control system 1 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of master devices 10 used by an operator and a plurality of slave devices 20 used by a user are remotely installed, and it is possible to establish a communication link by combining any master device 10 and slave device 20. The master device 10 is in the form of a device that receives the treatment operation performed by the operator, and the slave device 20 is in the form of a device that can act on the user (the person to be treated) with the treatment operation performed by the operator. Then, by executing force feedback transmission control with the master device 10 and the slave device 20, the treatment operation performed by the operator via the master device 10 is input to the user via the slave device 20, and the reaction force input from the user to the slave device 20 is presented to the operator via the master device 10. Therefore, it is possible to present a tactile sensation closer to that of a massage when the operator directly performs a massage on the user by means of the device for performing the massage.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, the position / force control system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a master device 10 for the operator to input an operation of treatment (such as a massage), a slave device 20 for outputting an operation for treatment to the user (the person to be treated), a control device 30 for controlling the transmission of force feedback between the master device 10 and the slave device 20, an imaging device C for photographing the user who receives the treatment by the slave device 20, and a display device D for displaying an image of the user photographed by the imaging device C. Further, the master device 10, the slave device 20, the control device 30, the imaging device C, and the display device D are configured to be communicable with each other via a network 40 such as the Internet. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the position / force control system 1 includes a plurality of master devices 10, slave devices 20, imaging devices C, and display devices D, respectively.

[0011] The master device 10 is provided with a mechanism for receiving the operation of the treatment input by the operator, and members (right pressure receiving member 106R and left pressure receiving member 106L described later) for receiving the pressing operation of the operator are configured to be movable in the vertical direction (the direction of the user's spine), the left-right direction (the direction of the user's shoulder width), and the front-back direction (the direction of applying pressure to the user's body). In the present embodiment, the master device 10 has a structure along the shape of a human shoulder and the vicinity of the neck, and is configured to be able to input the movement when the operator actually performs the treatment on the subject.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the master device 10. In addition, in FIG. 2, a schematic diagram of the upper body of the subject on whom the treatment is performed via the master device 10 is also shown, and the circled numbers and arrows represent the corresponding movements in the master device 10 and the upper body of the subject.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2, the master device 10 includes a base portion 101 that serves as a base for the entire master device 10, a pressure receiving unit 102 installed so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base portion 101, a front-back arm 103 extending in the front-back direction in the pressure receiving unit 102, a right arm portion 104R and a left arm 104L installed at the tip of the front-back arm 103 and extending in the left-right direction, a right operation portion 105R installed so as to be movable in the left-right direction in the right arm portion 104R, and a left operation portion 105L installed so as to be movable in the left-right direction in the left arm portion 104L. Further, the right operation portion 105R includes a right pressure receiving member 106R that receives the pressing operation of the operator, and a right support member 107R that supports the right pressure receiving member 106R so as to be movable in the front-back direction. The left operation portion 105L includes a left pressure receiving member 106L that receives the pressing operation of the operator, and a left support member 107L that supports the left pressure receiving member 106L so as to be movable in the front-back direction.

[0014] Furthermore, the vertical movement of the pressure receiving unit 102 can be controlled by the actuator 108, and reaction forces can be applied by the actuators 109 to 112 to the left - right movement of the right operation unit 105R and the left operation unit 105L and the front - back movement of the right pressure receiving member 106R and the left pressure receiving member 106L. In addition, the master device 10 includes a master control unit 113 that controls the master device 10 according to the control of the control device 30.

[0015] The base portion 101 is a support member that serves as the base of the entire master device 10, and supports the pressure receiving unit 102 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The vertical position of the pressure receiving unit 102 can be changed by the actuator 108 and can be fixed at the target position. The pressure receiving unit 102 is installed so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base portion 101, and the front - back arm 103, the right arm portion 104R and the left arm 104L, and the right operation unit 105R and the left operation unit 105L are installed thereon. That is, when the pressure receiving unit 102 moves in the vertical direction, the vertical positions of the front - back arm 103, the right arm portion 104R and the left arm 104L, and the right operation unit 105R and the left operation unit 105L change.

[0016] The front - back arm 103 is installed on the pressure receiving unit 102 as a member extending in the front - back direction, and the right arm portion 104R and the left arm 104L are fixed to the tip. It should be noted that the inclination of the right arm portion 104R and the left arm portion 104L with respect to the horizontal direction may be adjustable. The right arm portion 104R is installed at the tip of the front - back arm 103 and extends rightward from the front - back arm 103. Also, the right arm portion 104R supports the right operation unit 105R so as to be movable in the left - right direction. The left - right position of the right operation unit 105R is changed by the operation of the operator during the treatment. The left arm portion 104L is installed at the tip of the front - back arm 103 and extends leftward from the front - back arm 103. Also, the left arm portion 104L supports the left operation unit 105L so as to be movable in the left - right direction. The left - right position of the left operation unit 105L is changed by the operation of the operator during the treatment.

[0017] The right operation unit 105R is installed so as to be movable in the left - right direction with respect to the right arm unit 104R, and includes a right support member 107R that supports the right pressure - receiving member 106R so as to be movable in the front - rear direction. Further, the right pressure - receiving member 106R is a member that receives the pressing operation of the operator who performs treatment on the user, and moves in the front - rear direction with respect to the right support member 107R. The position of the right pressure - receiving member 106R in the front - rear direction is changed by the pressing operation of the operator. The left operation unit 105L is installed so as to be movable in the left - right direction with respect to the left arm unit 104L, and includes a left support member 107L that supports the left pressure - receiving member 106L so as to be movable in the front - rear direction. Further, the left pressure - receiving member 106L is a member that receives the pressing operation of the operator who performs treatment on the user, and moves in the front - rear direction with respect to the left support member 107L. The position of the left pressure - receiving member 106L in the front - rear direction is changed by the pressing operation of the operator.

[0018] The actuator 108 moves the pressure - receiving unit 102 in the up - down direction with respect to the base unit 101 in response to the operation of the operator or the instruction of the master control unit 113. Further, the actuator 108 includes a rotary encoder 108a that detects the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 108. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 108a is transmitted to the master control unit 113.

[0019] The actuator 109 applies a reaction force to the movement of the right operation unit 105R when the right operation unit 105R is moved in the left - right direction by the treatment operation of the operator. Further, the actuator 109 includes a rotary encoder 109a that detects the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 109. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 109a is transmitted to the master control unit 113.

[0020] When the left operation unit 105L is moved in the left - right direction by the operation of the operator, the actuator 110 applies a reaction force against the movement of the left operation unit 105L. Also, the actuator 110 includes a rotary encoder 110a that detects the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 110. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 110a is transmitted to the master control unit 113.

[0021] When the right pressure - receiving member 106R is moved in the front - rear direction by the operation of the operator, the actuator 111 applies a reaction force against the movement of the right pressure - receiving member 106R. Also, the actuator 111 includes a rotary encoder 111a that detects the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 111. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 111a is transmitted to the master control unit 113.

[0022] When the left pressure - receiving member 106L is moved in the front - rear direction by the operation of the operator, the actuator 112 applies a reaction force against the movement of the left pressure - receiving member 106L. Also, the actuator 112 includes a rotary encoder 112a that detects the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 112. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 112a is transmitted to the master control unit 113.

[0023] The master control unit 113 controls the actuators 108 - 112 of the master device 10 or transmits the rotation angles of the actuators 108 - 112 detected by the rotary encoders 108a - 112a to the control device 30 according to the control of the control device 30.

[0024] The slave device 20 is provided with a mechanism for outputting an operation for performing a treatment on the user (the subject). Members (the right pressing member 206R and the left pressing member 206L, which will be described later) for outputting a pressing operation for performing a treatment on the user are configured to be movable in the vertical direction (the direction of the user's spine), the left - right direction (the direction of the user's shoulder width), and the front - rear direction (the direction of applying pressure to the user's body).

[0025] The slave device 20 is provided with a mechanism for outputting an operation for performing a treatment on a user (the person to be treated), and members for outputting a pressing operation to the user (the right pressing member 206R and the left pressing member 206L described later) are configured to be movable in the vertical direction (the direction of the user's spine), the left - right direction (the direction of the user's shoulder width), and the front - rear direction (the direction in which pressure is applied to the user's body). Note that the slave device 20 can be installed on various instruments such as a chair, a sofa, a bed, and an automobile seat that can perform massage treatment on the user.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the slave device 20. In FIG. 3, the appearance of the backrest part where the mechanical structure of the slave device 20 is internally mounted is also shown. The circled numbers and arrows represent movements similar to those of the master device 10 shown in FIG. 2.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the slave device 20 includes a support part 201 that supports the entire slave device 20, a treatment unit 202 that is installed to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the support part 201, a base part 203 that serves as a base member for supporting the treatment unit 202, a right arm part 204R and a left arm 204L that are installed on the base part 203 and extend in the left - right direction, a right acting part 205R that is installed to be movable in the left - right direction on the right arm part 204R, and a left acting part 205L that is installed to be movable in the left - right direction on the left arm part 204L. Further, the right acting part 205R includes a right pressing member 206R that applies a pressing action to the user and a right support member 207R that supports the right pressing member 206R so as to be movable in the front - rear direction. The left acting part 205L includes a left pressing member 206L that applies a pressing action to the user and a left support member 207L that supports the left pressing member 206L so as to be movable in the front - rear direction.

[0028] Furthermore, the vertical movement of the treatment unit 202 can be controlled by an actuator 208, and the left - right movement of the right acting part 205R and the left acting part 205L, and the front - rear movement of the right pressing member 206R and the left pressing member 206L can be controlled by actuators 209 - 212. Further, the slave device 20 includes a slave control unit 213 that controls the slave device 20 in accordance with the control of the control device 30.

[0029] The support unit 201 is a support member that supports the entire slave device 20, and supports the treatment unit 202 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The vertical position of the treatment unit 202 is changed by the actuator 208 and can be fixed at a target position. The treatment unit 202 is installed so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the support unit 201, and a base unit 203, a right arm unit 204R, a left arm 204L, a right action unit 205R, and a left action unit 205L are installed. That is, when the treatment unit 202 moves in the vertical direction, the vertical positions of the right arm unit 204R, the left arm 204L, the right action unit 205R, and the left action unit 205L change.

[0030] The base unit 203 is a base member that supports the treatment unit 202, and supports the treatment unit 202 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The vertical position of the treatment unit 202 is changed by the actuator 208 and can be fixed at a target position. The right arm unit 204R is installed on the base unit 203 and extends from the base unit 203 in the right direction (more specifically, in the lower right direction along the general shoulder inclination). Further, the right arm unit 204R supports the right action unit 205R so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The left-right position of the right action unit 205R is changed according to the position and force reference values transmitted from the control device 30 in accordance with the treatment operation of the operator. The left arm unit 204L is installed on the base unit 203 and extends from the base unit 203 in the left direction (more specifically, in the lower left direction along the general shoulder inclination). Further, the left arm unit 204L supports the left action unit 205L so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The left-right position of the left action unit 205L is changed according to the position and force reference values transmitted from the control device 30 in accordance with the treatment operation of the operator.

[0031] The right acting part 205R is installed so as to be movable in the left - right direction with respect to the right arm part 204R, and includes a right support member 207R that supports the right pressing member 206R so as to be movable in the front - rear direction. Further, the right pressing member 206R is a member that applies a pressing action to the user according to the reference values of position and force transmitted from the control device 30 in response to the pressing operation of the operator, and moves in the front - rear direction with respect to the right support member 207R. That is, the position of the right pressing member 206R in the front - rear direction is changed by the pressing operation of the operator. The left acting part 205L is installed so as to be movable in the left - right direction with respect to the left arm part 204L, and includes a left support member 207L that supports the left pressing member 206L so as to be movable in the front - rear direction. Further, the left pressing member 206L is a member that applies a pressing action to the user according to the reference values of position and force transmitted from the control device 30 in response to the pressing operation of the operator, and moves in the front - rear direction with respect to the left support member 207L. That is, the position of the left pressing member 206L in the front - rear direction is changed by the pressing operation of the operator.

[0032] The actuator 208 moves the treatment unit 202 in the vertical direction with respect to the support part 201 according to the operation of the user or the instruction of the slave control part 213. When the treatment unit 202 is moved in the vertical direction according to the instruction of the slave control part 213, by detecting the reaction force etc. input to the right acting part 205R and the left acting part 205L, the fixed position of the treatment unit 202 can be automatically adjusted according to the position of the user's shoulder. Further, the actuator 208 includes a rotary encoder 208a that detects the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 208. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 208a is transmitted to the slave control part 213.

[0033] The actuator 209 moves the right acting part 205R in the left - right direction according to the reference values of position and force transmitted from the control device 30 in response to the treatment operation of the operator. Further, the actuator 209 includes a rotary encoder 209a that detects the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 209. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 209a is transmitted to the slave control part 213.

[0034] The actuator 210 moves the left acting part 205L in the left - right direction according to the reference values of position and force transmitted from the control device 30 in response to the operator's treatment operation. The actuator 210 is also provided with a rotary encoder 210a for detecting the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 210. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 210a is transmitted to the slave control unit 213.

[0035] The actuator 211 moves the right pressing member 206R in the front - rear direction according to the reference values of position and force transmitted from the control device 30 in response to the operator's treatment operation. Thereby, the right pressing member 206R presses the user with the position and force corresponding to the operator's treatment operation. The actuator 211 is also provided with a rotary encoder 211a for detecting the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 211. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 211a is transmitted to the slave control unit 213.

[0036] The actuator 212 moves the left pressing member 206L in the front - rear direction according to the reference values of position and force transmitted from the control device 30 in response to the operator's treatment operation. Thereby, the left pressing member 206L presses the user with the position and force corresponding to the operator's treatment operation. The actuator 212 is also provided with a rotary encoder 212a for detecting the rotation angle of the rotor of the actuator 212. The rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 212a is transmitted to the slave control unit 213.

[0037] The slave control unit 213 controls the actuators 208 - 212 of the slave device 20 or transmits the rotation angles of the actuators 208 - 212 detected by the rotary encoders 208a - 212a to the control device 30 according to the control of the control device 30.

[0038] The control device 30 controls the transmission of force sensation between the master device 10 and the slave device 20. In the present embodiment, among the plurality of master devices 10 and the plurality of slave devices 20, the control device 30 can dynamically configure a master-slave system by associating an arbitrary master device 10 with a slave device 20. Further, the control device 30 stores control parameters for the transmission of force sensation when an operator performs a treatment on a user via the master device 10 and the slave device 20. Furthermore, the control device 30 can reproduce the treatment by the operator on the user by transmitting the stored control parameters to the slave device 20. At this time, the control device 30 transmits the stored control parameters to the slave device 20 without editing them (i.e., reproduces the treatment as stored), and can also perform editing such as deleting a part of the control parameters, repeating a part, or changing the force, and then transmit them to the slave device 20. By editing the control parameters, it is possible to change the treatment content according to the user's preference, or to change the treatment content performed on a different user to match the body type and preference of the user receiving the treatment.

[0039] The imaging device C photographs the user who receives the treatment by the slave device 20, and transmits the data of the photographed image to the control device 30. The display device D receives the image of the user photographed by the imaging device C from the control device 30, and displays the image of the user (the person receiving the treatment) to the operator who performs the treatment via the master device 10.

[0040] [Hardware Configuration] Next, the hardware configuration of the functional units that perform control in the position / force control system 1 will be described. In the position / force control system 1, the control device 30, the master control unit 113, and the slave control unit 213 are configured by an information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer), a server computer, or a tablet terminal, and their basic configurations are the same.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus 800 that constitutes a functional unit for performing control in the position / force control system 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the information processing apparatus 800 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 811, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 812, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 813, a bus 814, an input unit 815, an output unit 816, a storage unit 817, a communication unit 818, a drive 819, and an imaging unit 820.

[0042] The CPU 811 executes various processes according to a program recorded in the ROM 812 or a program loaded from the storage unit 817 into the RAM 813. The RAM 813 also appropriately stores data and the like necessary for the CPU 811 to execute various processes.

[0043] The CPU 811, ROM 812, and RAM 813 are interconnected via the bus 814. The input unit 815, output unit 816, storage unit 817, communication unit 818, drive 819, and imaging unit 820 are connected to the bus 814.

[0044] The input unit 815 is composed of various buttons and the like, and inputs various information according to an instruction operation. The output unit 816 is composed of a display, a speaker, and the like, and outputs images and sounds. When the information processing apparatus 800 is configured as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, the input unit 815 and the display of the output unit 816 may be arranged overlappingly to form a touch panel. The storage unit 817 is composed of a hard disk or a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc., and stores various data managed by each server. The communication unit 818 controls communication with other devices via a network.

[0045] A removable medium 831, which consists of a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like, is appropriately mounted on the drive 819. The program read from the removable medium 831 by the drive 819 is installed in the storage unit 817 as necessary. The imaging unit 820 is configured by an imaging device including a lens and an image sensor, etc., and captures a digital image of a subject. When the information processing device 800 is configured as a server, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the imaging unit 820 is omitted. Further, when the information processing device 800 is configured as a tablet terminal, the input unit 815 can be configured by a touch sensor and arranged so as to overlap the display of the output unit 816, thereby adopting a configuration including a touch panel.

[0046] [Functional Configuration of Control System] Next, the functional configuration of the control system in each device of the position / force control system 1 will be described. [Functional Configuration of Master Device 10] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the master device 10. As shown in FIG. 5, in the CPU 811 of the master device 10 (master control unit 113), a user interface control unit (UI control unit) 151, a mode setting unit 152, a sensor information acquisition unit 153, a force feedback control unit 154, and a treatment data management unit 155 function. Further, a treatment data storage unit 171 is formed in the storage unit 817 of the master device 10.

[0047] In the treatment data storage unit 171, information regarding the user on whom the operator has performed treatment and control parameters in the treatment are stored via the master device 10. The information regarding the user on whom the operator has performed treatment includes attribute information such as the user's name, age, gender, contact information, and preferences for treatment content. Further, as control parameters in the treatment, time-series control parameters related to force feedback transmission when the operator performs treatment are stored.

[0048] The UI control unit 151 controls the display of various input / output screens in the process (remote treatment process described later) for the operator to perform treatment on the user by the position / force control system 1. For example, in the remote treatment process, the UI control unit 151 accepts settings such as which of the individual treatment mode in which the operator and the user perform treatment one-on-one and the multiple-treatment mode in which one operator performs treatment on multiple users is to be executed. Further, the UI control unit 151 causes the display device D or the display of the output unit 816 provided in the master device 10 to display the image of the user transmitted from the control device 30.

[0049] The mode setting unit 152 sets the mode to be executed in the remote treatment process. In the present embodiment, either the individual treatment mode in which the operator and the user perform treatment one-on-one or the multiple-treatment mode in which one operator performs treatment on multiple users can be set, and the mode setting unit 152 sets either mode according to the input of the operator or an instruction from the control device 30.

[0050] The sensor information acquisition unit 153 acquires the position information (rotation angle of the rotor) detected by the rotary encoders 108a to 112a of the actuators 108 to 112. In the present embodiment, since the actuators of the master device 10 involved in the transmission of force and touch are the actuators 109 to 112, the sensor information acquisition unit 153 acquires the position information (rotation angle of the rotor) from the rotary encoders 109a to 112a at a rate at which the treatment operation in the remote treatment process becomes a continuous and smooth movement, for example, every 100 [ms]. The position information (rotation angle of the rotor) acquired from the rotary encoders 109a to 112a changes according to the input of the treatment operation by the operator and the output of each actuator (that is, the input from the user's body to the slave device 20).

[0051] The force feedback control unit 154 performs force feedback transmission control based on the position information (rotor rotation angle) acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit 153 and the position information (rotor rotation angle) of the actuator of the slave device 20 transmitted from the control device 30. That is, the force feedback control unit 154 uses the position information (rotor rotation angle) of the actuator of the slave device 20 as a reference value, and uses this reference value and the position information (rotor rotation angle) acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit 153 as input data to cause the actuator targeted in the master device 10 to follow the operation (position and force output) of the actuator associated with the slave device 20.

[0052] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an algorithm for realizing the force feedback transmission control used in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the algorithm for realizing the force feedback transmission control is represented as a control law including at least one of the actuators 109 to 112 (control target system), the force / velocity assignment conversion block 410, the ideal force source block 420, or the ideal velocity (position) source block 430, and the inverse conversion block 440. In the present embodiment, the actuators 109 to 112 of the master device 10 and the actuators 209 to 212 of the slave device 20 are associated one-to-one when the remote surgical treatment is executed. Therefore, the following description shows an algorithm for the force feedback transmission control realized between one actuator of the master device 10 and the corresponding actuator of the slave device 20.

[0053] Note that since position and velocity (or acceleration) or angle and angular velocity (or angular acceleration) are parameters that can be replaced by differential and integral operations, when performing processing related to position or angle, it is possible to appropriately replace them with velocity or angular velocity, etc. Also, in the present embodiment, the rotation angle of the rotor is used as the position information of the actuator, but other information may be used as long as it is a physical quantity related to each other, such as the position of a member interlocked with the rotor of the actuator.

[0054] The force-velocity allocation conversion block 410 defines a coordinate conversion that takes as inputs a value (reference value) serving as a reference for the operations of the actuators 109 to 112 and the current position of the rotation axes of the actuators 109 to 112. This coordinate conversion converts an input vector having the reference value and the current velocity (or position) as elements into an output vector consisting of a velocity (or position) for calculating a control target value of the velocity (or position), and also converts an input vector having the reference value and the current force as elements into an output vector consisting of a force for calculating a control target value of the force. Specifically, the coordinate conversion in the force-velocity allocation conversion block 410 is represented by the following equations (1) and (2).

[0055] dX2 = [H]·dX1 (1) F2 = [H]·F1 (2)

[0056] However, in Equation (1), d represents an operator for the first-order derivative, dX2 is a velocity vector for deriving the state value of the velocity, dX1 is a vector having as elements the reference value and the velocity based on the actions of the actuators 109 to 112 (the velocity of the rotation axes of the actuators 109 to 112, or the velocity of a part interlocked with the rotation axes of the actuators 109 to 112), and H is a conversion matrix representing a bilateral function. Also, in Equation (2), 2 F2 (where 2 represents an operator for the second-order derivative) is a force vector for deriving the state value of the force, and 2 F1 is a vector having as elements the reference value and the force based on the actions of the actuators 109 to 112 (the rotational torque of the rotation axes of the actuators 109 to 112, or the force of a part interlocked with the rotation axes of the actuators 109 to 112). In the force-velocity allocation conversion block 410, input data having as elements the positions (velocities) and forces in the real world that are related to each other is coordinate-converted (i.e., converted from an oblique coordinate system to a rectangular coordinate system) into a virtual space in which the position (velocity) and the force are independent of each other, enabling independent processing of operations related to the position (velocity) and operations related to the force.

[0057] The ideal force source block 420 is a block that performs operations in the force domain according to the coordinate transformation defined by the force-velocity assignment conversion block 410. In the ideal force source block 420, a target value regarding the force is set when performing operations based on the coordinate transformation defined by the function-specific force-velocity assignment conversion block 410. This target value is set as a fixed value or a variable value corresponding to the force feedback transmission function (bilateral function) executed by the master device 10 and the slave device 20. When performing force scaling, the coefficient of force scaling can be applied to the coordinate transformation in the force-velocity assignment conversion block 410, or in the coordinate transformation of the force-velocity assignment conversion block 410, an equal-magnitude transformation can be maintained for the force, and in the ideal force source block 420, a target value of the scaled force can be set.

[0058] The ideal velocity (position) source block 430 is a block that performs operations in the velocity (position) domain according to the coordinate transformation defined by the force-velocity assignment conversion block 410. In the ideal velocity (position) source block 430, a target value regarding the velocity (position) is set when performing operations based on the coordinate transformation defined by the force-velocity assignment conversion block 410. This target value is set as a fixed value or a variable value corresponding to the force feedback transmission function (bilateral function) executed by the master device 10 and the slave device 20. When performing position scaling, the coefficient of position scaling can be applied to the coordinate transformation in the force-velocity assignment conversion block 410, or in the coordinate transformation of the force-velocity assignment conversion block 410, an equal-magnitude transformation can be maintained for the position, and in the ideal velocity (position) source block 430, a target value of the scaled position can be set.

[0059] The inverse conversion block 440 is a block that converts the values in the velocity (position) and force domains into the values in the input domain of the actuator (such as voltage value or current value, etc.). As a result, when the position information (the rotation angle of the rotor) in the actuator is input to the force-velocity allocation conversion block 410, the control rules for each of the velocity (position) and force regions corresponding to the force feedback transmission function (bilateral function) are applied in the force-velocity allocation conversion block 410 using the velocity (position) and force information obtained based on the position information. Then, in the ideal force source block 120, the force corresponding to the force feedback transmission function is calculated, and in the ideal velocity (position) source block 130, the velocity (position) corresponding to the force feedback transmission function is calculated, and the control energy is distributed to the force and velocity (position) respectively.

[0060] The calculation results in the ideal force source block 420 and the ideal velocity (position) source block 430 become information indicating the control target of the actuator, and these calculation results are used as the input values of the actuator in the inverse conversion block 440. As a result, each actuator executes an operation according to the force feedback transmission function (bilateral function) defined by the force-velocity allocation conversion block 410, and an operation for transmitting the force feedback between the master device 10 and the slave device 20 is realized.

[0061] Returning to FIG. 5, the treatment data management unit 155 acquires information about the user on whom the operator has performed the treatment and the control parameters in the treatment via the master device 10, and stores them in the treatment data storage unit 171. By reading the information about the user stored in the treatment data storage unit 171, the operator can perform a more suitable treatment for the user when performing the treatment for the second time and later on the same user. In addition, when the operator performs the treatment, by transmitting part or all of the control parameters stored in the treatment data storage unit 171 to the control device 30, it becomes possible to automatically repeat the treatment operation performed by the operator. For example, when performing a pressing operation on the right shoulder and then a pressing operation on the left shoulder, and performing the same treatment on the right shoulder and the left shoulder again, by transmitting the control parameters stored in the treatment data storage unit 171 to the control device 30, the workload of the operator performing the same treatment operation can be reduced.

[0062] [Functional Configuration of Slave Device 20] FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the slave device 20. As shown in FIG. 7, in the CPU 811 of the slave device 20 (slave control unit 213), a user interface control unit (UI control unit) 251, a mode setting unit 252, a sensor information acquisition unit 253, a force feedback control unit 254, and a treatment data management unit 255 function. Further, a treatment data storage unit 271 is formed in the storage unit 817 of the slave device 20.

[0063] The treatment data storage unit 271 stores information about the operator who performed the treatment on the user and control parameters in the treatment via the slave device 20. The information about the operator who performed the treatment on the user includes attribute information such as the operator's name, age, gender, contact information, and evaluation of treatment skills. Further, as control parameters in the treatment, time-series control parameters related to force feedback transmission when the operator performs the treatment are stored.

[0064] The UI control unit 251 controls the display of various input / output screens in the process (remote treatment process) for the operator to perform treatment on the user by the position / force control system 1. For example, in the remote treatment process, the UI control unit 251 accepts settings such as which of the individual treatment mode in which the operator and the user perform treatment one-on-one and the multiple-treatment mode in which one operator performs treatment on a plurality of users is to be executed. Further, when the user sets to execute the individual treatment mode, the UI control unit 251 accepts the selection of the operator desired by the user. Furthermore, the UI control unit 251 accepts an instruction from the user to repeat the treatment operation. Note that the UI control unit 251 may display an image of the operator who performs treatment on the user (a pre-taken face image or a real-time captured image, etc.) on the display of the output unit 816.

[0065] The mode setting unit 252 sets the mode (individual treatment mode or multiple-treatment mode) to be executed in the remote treatment process. The mode setting unit 152 sets either the individual treatment mode or the multiple-treatment mode according to the user's input instruction. The sensor information acquisition unit 253 acquires the position information (rotor rotation angle) detected by the rotary encoders 208a to 212a of the actuators 208 to 212. In the present embodiment, since the actuators of the slave device 20 involved in the transmission of force feedback are the actuators 209 to 212, the sensor information acquisition unit 253 acquires the position information (rotor rotation angle) from the rotary encoders 209a to 212a at a rate at which the surgical operation in the remote surgery process becomes a continuous and smooth movement, for example, every 100 [ms]. The position information (rotor rotation angle) acquired from the rotary encoders 209a to 212a changes according to the output of each actuator (that is, the input of the surgeon to the master device 10) and the reaction to the action of the right pressing member 206R and the left pressing member 206L on the user's body.

[0066] The force feedback control unit 254 performs force feedback transmission control based on the position information (rotor rotation angle) acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit 253 and the position information (rotor rotation angle) of the actuators of the master device 10 transmitted from the control device 30. That is, the force feedback control unit 254 uses the position information (rotor rotation angle) of the actuators of the master device 10 as a reference value, and uses this reference value and the position information (rotor rotation angle) acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit 253 as input data to cause the target actuator in the slave device 20 to follow the operation (position and force output) of the actuator associated with it in the master device 10. In the force feedback control unit 254, the algorithm for realizing the force feedback transmission control is the same as the algorithm shown in FIG. 6.

[0067] In addition, the force feedback control unit 254 has a fail-safe function in the slave device 20. When it detects a force feedback control parameter that exceeds a value set as the upper limit of various physical quantities (for example, the upper limit value of force, the upper limit value of speed, the upper limit value of displacement, etc.), it stops the force feedback transmission control with the master device 10 and autonomously executes control to immediately stop the treatment unit 202 (control to suppress the action on the user). Regarding the control to immediately stop the treatment unit 202, the control content can be set in advance. For example, control to immediately stop the treatment unit 202, or control to move it at a low speed to a predetermined retracted position (for example, the neutral position) while applying compliance control to the operation of the treatment unit 202 can be used.

[0068] The treatment data management unit 255 acquires information about the operator who performed the treatment on the user and the control parameters in the treatment via the slave device 20, and stores them in the treatment data storage unit 271. The user can re-select the operator who received the treatment in the past and receive the treatment by reading out the information about the operator stored in the treatment data storage unit 271. Also, when the user receives the treatment, it is possible to reproduce the treatment operation received from the operator by reading out and executing part or all of the control parameters stored in the treatment data storage unit 271.

[0069] [Functional Configuration of Control Device 30] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 30. As shown in FIG. 8, in the CPU 811 of the control device 30, a request reception unit 351, a link construction unit 352, a force feedback transmission management unit 353, and a history data management unit 354 function. Also, a history database (history DB) 371 is formed in the storage unit 817 of the control device 30.

[0070] The history DB 371 stores various data related to the force feedback control executed in the position / force control system 1. For example, the history DB 371 stores information about the user who received the treatment, information about the operator who performed the treatment, control parameters generated by the remote treatment process, information input by the user to the slave device 20 (history of reproducing control parameters, history of adjusting force moderation, etc.), and information input by the operator to the master device 10 (history of automatically repeating treatment operations, history of memoing characteristics of the user who received the treatment (tendency of fatigue, precautions during treatment, etc.)).

[0071] The request reception unit 351 receives a request from a user who wishes to receive treatment by remote treatment processing. The request reception unit 351 selects an operator who can perform treatment by remote treatment processing according to the request from the user or based on a predetermined selection criterion. As the predetermined selection criterion, for example, a criterion based on the attributes of the user and the operator (such as matching the gender, or matching the treatment content desired by the user and the treatment content the operator is good at), a criterion based on the leveling of the operator's workload (such as equalizing the total treatment time of the operator), or a criterion based on the treatment history (such as giving priority to the combination of the operator and the user who performed the treatment in the past) can be used.

[0072] The link construction unit 352 establishes a communication link between the master device 10 and the slave device 20 that performs remote treatment processing according to the mode set by the user of the slave device 20. That is, the link construction unit 352 establishes a one-to-one link between one of the slave devices 20 set to the individual treatment mode and any one master device 10. In addition, the link construction unit 352 establishes a one-to-n (n is a natural number of 2 or more) link between a plurality of slave devices 20 set to the multiple treatment mode and any one master device 10.

[0073] When the force feedback transmission management unit 353 executes remote treatment processing in the individual treatment mode, it performs force feedback transmission control (bilateral control) between one of the slave devices 20 set in the individual treatment mode and any one master device 10. At this time, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 can also perform scaling of the force output from the slave device 20 according to the request of the user of the slave device 20.

[0074] In addition, when the force feedback transmission management unit 353 executes remote treatment processing in the multiple treatment mode, it normalizes the control parameters transmitted from the master device 10 and transmits them to the slave device 20 of the user receiving the treatment. For example, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 converts (normalizes) the control parameters transmitted from the master device 10 into treatment operations when the treatment is performed on a virtual user set with a standard body type, and transmits them to the slave device 20 of each user receiving the treatment. Thereby, control parameters that can be commonly used by a plurality of users can be transmitted to the slave device 20. In the slave device 20, corrections are made to the normalized control parameters to suit the user receiving the treatment, and the force feedback control unit 254 can perform force feedback transmission control. For example, the shoulder width, muscle thickness, etc. of the user are set in the slave device 20, and a correction amount based on the difference between the standard body type and the user's body type is added to the control parameters, and a pressing operation can be output. However, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 may add a correction amount based on the difference between the standard body type and the user's body type to the control parameters and transmit the corrected control parameters to each slave device 20. Also, instead of adding corrections to the normalized control parameters, in the force feedback output of the slave device 20, the weight of the force control with respect to the position control may be increased, or only the force control may be performed. By increasing the weight of the force control, a force feedback close to the addition and subtraction of forces in the normalized control parameters is output, so that for users with different body types, treatment can be performed with the same addition and subtraction of forces as when performing treatment on a standard body type with the normalized control parameters.

[0075] The history data management unit 354 stores various data related to the force feedback control executed in the position / force control system 1 in the history DB 371. The history data management unit 354 can transmit the history data stored in the history DB 371 to the master device 10 or the slave device 20, analyze the data, discriminate the user's preference, and evaluate the skill of the operator.

[0076] [Mode of treatment] Next, the mode of the remote treatment process executed by the position / force control system 1 will be described. [Individual treatment mode] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the concept of the individual treatment mode in the position / force control system 1. The position / force control system 1 includes a plurality of master devices 10 and a plurality of slave devices 20. As shown in FIG. 9, the user of the slave device 20 can set an individual treatment mode in which the operator and the user perform treatment on a one-to-one basis.

[0077] In the individual treatment mode, a communication link can be established between any one slave device 20 and any one master device 10 to execute the remote treatment process. For example, by the user of the slave device 20 selecting a specific operator or the control device 30 selecting an operator from among the currently available operators, the master device 10 and the slave device 20 are in a state of performing force feedback control on a one-to-one basis.

[0078] According to the individual treatment mode, the operator can perform a delicate treatment while checking the state of the user on the image projected on the display device D or the like. When executing the remote treatment process in the individual treatment mode, it is also possible to perform the treatment while the user and the operator communicate with each other using the microphones and speakers of the master device 10 and the slave device 20.

[0079] [Multiple treatment mode] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the concept of the multiple treatment mode in the position / force control system 1. In the position / force control system 1, a plurality of master devices 10 and a plurality of slave devices 20 are included. As shown in FIG. 10, the user of the slave device 20 can set a plurality of treatment modes in which one operator performs treatments on a plurality of users.

[0080] In the plurality of treatment modes, a communication link can be established between the plurality of slave devices 20 and a specific one of the master devices 10 to execute remote treatment processing. For example, when an operator with a high evaluation of treatment skills performs a treatment, a plurality of users who wish to receive the treatment by that operator participate in the treatment in the plurality of treatment modes, or when there is no available operator due to congestion or the like, a user participates in the treatment being performed by an operator performing the treatment in the plurality of treatment modes, so that a state is reached in which the specific one master device 10 and the plurality of slave devices 20 perform force feedback transmission control.

[0081] According to the plurality of treatment modes, it is possible to provide the treatments of popular operators to many users at the same time, or for users who prioritize the time zone for receiving treatment to receive treatment without being affected by the congestion situation. When performing remote treatment processing in the plurality of treatment modes, the control parameters transmitted from the master device 10 are normalized and transmitted to the slave device 20 of the user receiving the treatment. In the slave device 20, corrections are made to adapt the normalized control parameters to the user receiving the treatment, and the force feedback control unit 254 can perform force feedback transmission control. Therefore, even in the plurality of treatment modes, appropriate treatments can be performed according to the body types of each user.

[0082] [Operation] Next, the operation of the position / force control system 1 will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of remote treatment processing executed by the position / force control system 1. The remote treatment processing is started in the control device 30 in response to an instruction input for executing the remote treatment processing.

[0083] When the remote treatment process is started, in step S1, the request reception unit 351 of the control device 30 confirms the operator who can currently perform the treatment. For example, the request reception unit 351 can confirm whether each master device 10 is activated by polling the master devices 10 registered in the position / force control system 1, and set the operator of the activated master device 10 as the operator who can currently perform the treatment. However, it may also be possible to confirm the operator who can currently perform the treatment by the operator sending a message or the like indicating that the treatment can be performed from the master device 10 to the control device 30.

[0084] In step S2, the request reception unit 351 receives a request from a user who wishes to receive treatment by the remote treatment process. At this time, the request reception unit 351 may send a list of currently available operators or the like to the slave device 20 and receive the request sent by the user referring to this list. In step S3, the request reception unit 351 determines the mode in the request from the slave device 20. If the individual treatment mode is requested, the process proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, if the multiple treatment mode is requested, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0085] If both the individual treatment mode and the multiple treatment mode are requested from a plurality of slave devices 20, the processes of step S4 and step S5 are executed in parallel. In step S4, the request reception unit 351 executes individual treatment processing (see FIG. 12). After step S4, the remote treatment process is repeated. In step S5, the request reception unit 351 executes multiple treatment processing (see FIG. 13). After step S5, the remote treatment process is repeated.

[0086] [Individual Treatment Processing] Next, the individual treatment process executed in step S4 of the remote treatment process will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of the individual treatment process. The individual treatment process is executed as a sub-flow in step S4 of the remote treatment process.

[0087] When the individual treatment process starts, in step S11, the request reception unit 351 confirms the selection of the operator by the user based on the request received from the slave device 20. Specifically, in the request data, it is determined whether information for the user to select a specific operator is included, or whether information for selecting any operator (that is, whether information for not selecting an operator is included), etc. In step S12, the request reception unit 351 determines an operator who will perform the treatment for each user from among the currently available operators.

[0088] In step S13, the link construction unit 352 constructs a communication link between the master device 10 and the slave device 20. As a result, a state is achieved in which force feedback transmission control can be performed between the master device 10 of the operator determined in step S12 and the slave device 20 of the user. In step S14, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 causes both the master device 10 and the slave device 20 to start moving from the neutral position to the reference position (the initial position according to the user's body shape). That is, the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20 start to descend from the neutral position (for example, the position at the upper end in the vertical direction).

[0089] In step S15, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 determines whether the treatment unit 202 has contacted the user's body. That is, it is determined whether it has been detected that the set reaction force has been generated in the treatment unit 202 by the slave control unit 213 of the slave device 20. When the treatment unit 202 is not in contact with the user's body, it is determined as NO in step S15, and the process of step S15 is repeated. On the other hand, when the treatment unit 202 comes into contact with the user's body, it is determined as YES in step S15, and the process proceeds to step S16.

[0090] In step S16, the force feedback control unit 353 stops the movement of the master device 10 and the slave device 20 from the neutral position. That is, the movement of the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20 is stopped. The position stopped in step S16 is set as the initial position of the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20. Note that the processes from step S14 to step S16 may be executed only in the slave device 20. Also, force feedback control may be performed between the actuator 108 of the master device 10 and the actuator 208 of the slave device 20, and the operator manually moves the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and stops it at the position where the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20 feels contact with the user.

[0091] In step S17, the force feedback control unit 353 determines in the master device 10 whether the operator has set a vertical movement limit (for example, setting the pressing distance by pressing within a set value) for the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20. That is, when the operator performs the treatment, it is determined whether a vertical movement limit has been set for the right pressure receiving member 106R and the left pressure receiving member 106L of the pressure receiving unit 102 and the right pressing member 206R and the left pressing member 206L of the treatment unit 202. By setting a vertical movement limit for the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20, the operator can more reliably avoid excessive pressing on the user. When the operator has not set a vertical movement limit for the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20, it is determined as NO in step S17, and the process proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, when the operator has set a vertical movement limit for the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20, it is determined as YES in step S17, and the process proceeds to step S19.

[0092] In step S18, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 sets no vertical movement limit for the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20. In step S19, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 sets a vertical movement limit for the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20.

[0093] In step S20, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 starts the transmission control (bilateral control) of the force feedback. Along with this, the history data management unit 354 starts recording the control parameters related to the force feedback transmission control (sequentially stores them in the history DB 371). Also, it is possible to store the control parameters related to the force feedback transmission control in the treatment data storage unit 271 of the slave device 20. However, an expiration date (for example, valid only on the same day, etc.) may be set in the treatment data storage unit 271 of the slave device 20 to permit the storage of the control parameters related to the force feedback transmission control.

[0094] In step S21, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 transmits the input of the treatment operation to the master device 10 input by the operator to the slave device 20, and executes control (force feedback transmission control) for transmitting the reaction force input from the user's body in the slave device 20. In the present embodiment, when the user receives treatment via the slave device 20, the first treatment on the same day is performed by the operator via the master device 10, and the treatments after the second time on the same day can receive treatment by reproducing the stored control parameters.

[0095] Here, when the process of step S21 is executed, the force feedback control unit 254 of the slave device 20 monitors the control parameters transmitted from the control device 30 and the control parameters generated in the slave device 20. Then, when the force feedback control unit 254 detects a force feedback control parameter that exceeds the value set as the upper limit of various physical quantities (for example, the upper limit value of force, the upper limit value of speed, the upper limit value of displacement, etc.), it stops the force feedback transmission control with the master device 10 and autonomously executes control to immediately stop the treatment unit 202 (control to suppress the action on the user).

[0096] In step S22, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 receives a notification (treatment operation end notification) that the input of the treatment operation from the master device 10 has ended. The treatment operation end notification is transmitted, for example, when the operator performs an operation to end the treatment on the master device 10. In step S23, the UI control unit 251 of the slave device 20 determines whether an instruction to repeat the treatment operation from the user has been input. If an instruction to repeat the treatment operation from the user has not been input, it is determined as NO in step S23, the individual treatment process ends, and the process returns to the remote treatment process. On the other hand, if an instruction to repeat the treatment operation from the user has been input, it is determined as YES in step S23, and the process proceeds to step S24.

[0097] In step S24, the treatment data management unit 255 of the slave device 20 stores the control parameters of the repeated treatment operation as a predetermined file in the treatment data storage unit 271. At this time, the predetermined file to be stored includes the control parameters of the treatment for which the user hopes to repeat the treatment operation, and it is possible to include the control parameters of the entire treatment operation performed by the operator, or to include some of the control parameters selected by the user among the treatment operations performed by the operator, etc.

[0098] In step S25, the force feedback control unit 353 reproduces the control parameters included in the file saved in step S24. As a result, the treatment operation that the user desires to repeat is reproduced, and it becomes possible to perform the treatment on the user without the operator performing the treatment operation. After step S25, the reproduction of the treatment operation in the slave device 20 ends (i.e., the individual control process ends), and the process returns to the remote treatment process.

[0099] [Multiple treatment processes] Next, the multiple treatment processes executed in step S5 of the remote treatment process will be described. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of the multiple treatment processes. The multiple treatment processes are executed as a sub-flow in step S5 of the remote treatment process.

[0100] When the multiple treatment processes are started, in step S31, the request reception unit 351 confirms the selection of an operator by the user based on the request received from the slave device 20. Specifically, in the request data, it is determined whether information for the user to select a specific operator is included, whether information for selecting any operator is included (i.e., whether information for not selecting an operator is included), and the like.

[0101] In step S32, the request reception unit 351 determines an operator who will perform the treatment on multiple users from among the currently available operators. That is, if the specific operator selected by the user is currently available, the specific operator is determined as the operator who will perform the treatment on multiple users. Also, for a user who has selected an arbitrary operator, among the currently available operators, the operator selected by the request reception unit 351 according to a predetermined selection criterion is determined as the operator who will perform the treatment.

[0102] In step S33, the link construction unit 352 constructs a communication link between the master device 10 and the plurality of slave devices 20. As a result, the master device 10 of the operator determined in step S32 and the slave devices 20 of the plurality of users are in a state where force feedback transmission control can be performed. In step S34, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 causes both the master device 10 and the plurality of slave devices 20 to start moving from the neutral position to the reference position (initial position according to the user's body shape). That is, the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment units 202 of the plurality of slave devices 20 start to descend from the neutral position (for example, the position at the upper end in the vertical direction).

[0103] In step S35, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 determines whether the treatment unit 202 of each slave device 20 has contacted the user's body. That is, it is determined whether it has been detected that the set reaction force has been generated in the treatment unit 202 by the slave control unit 213 of each slave device 20. If the treatment unit 202 has not contacted the user's body, it is determined as NO in step S35, and the process of step S35 is repeated. On the other hand, if the treatment unit 202 has contacted the user's body, it is determined as YES in step S35, and the process proceeds to step S36.

[0104] In step S36, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 stops the movement of the master device 10 and the slave devices 20 from the neutral position. That is, the movement of the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20 is stopped. The position stopped in step S36 is set as the initial position of the pressure receiving unit 102 of the master device 10 and the treatment unit 202 of the slave device 20. Note that the processes from step S34 to step S36 can be executed as parallel processes for each slave device 20 for which the communication link has been established. Also, the processes from step S34 to step S36 may be executed only in each slave device 20.

[0105] In step S37, the force feedback control unit 353 starts the force feedback control (the force feedback control from the master device 10 to the slave device 20). Accordingly, the history data management unit 354 starts recording the control parameters related to the force feedback control (sequentially stores them in the history DB 371). Also, the control parameters related to the force feedback control may be stored in the treatment data storage unit 271 of the slave device 20. However, an expiration date (for example, valid only on the current day, etc.) may be set in the treatment data storage unit 271 of the slave device 20 to permit the storage of the control parameters related to the force feedback control.

[0106] In step S38, the force feedback control unit 353 executes the force feedback control to transmit the input of the treatment operation to the master device 10 by the operator to the slave device 20. At this time, the force feedback control unit 353 normalizes the control parameters transmitted from the master device 10 and transmits them to the slave device 20 of the user receiving the treatment. Also, in the slave device 20, corrections are made to the normalized control parameters to suit the user receiving the treatment, enabling the force feedback control unit 254 to perform the force feedback control.

[0107] In step S39, the force feedback control unit 353 receives an end notification of the treatment operation indicating that the input of the treatment operation has ended from the master device 10. The end notification of the treatment operation is transmitted, for example, when the operator performs an operation to end the treatment on the master device 10. In step S40, the UI control unit 251 of the slave device 20 determines whether an instruction to repeat the treatment operation from the user has been input. If an instruction to repeat the treatment operation from the user has not been input, it is determined as NO in step S40, and the multiple-treatment processing in that slave device 20 ends, and the process returns to the remote treatment processing. If an instruction to repeat the treatment operation from the user has been input, it is determined as YES in step S40, and the process proceeds to step S41.

[0108] In step S41, the treatment data management unit 255 of the slave device 20 stores the control parameters of the repeated treatment operations as a predetermined file in the treatment data storage unit 271. At this time, the predetermined file to be stored includes the control parameters of the treatment for which the user desires repetition of the treatment operation, and it is possible to include the control parameters of the entire treatment operation performed by the operator, or to include some of the control parameters selected by the user among the treatment operations performed by the operator. Further, the control parameters stored at this time can be the normalized control parameters transmitted from the master device 10, or can be the control parameters obtained by adding corrections to adapt to the user receiving the treatment to the normalized control parameters in the slave device 20.

[0109] In step S42, the force feedback transmission management unit 353 reproduces the control parameters included in the file stored in step S41. Thereby, the treatment operation that the user desires to repeat is reproduced, and it becomes possible to perform the treatment on the user without the operator performing the treatment operation. After step S42, the reproduction of the treatment operation in the slave device 20 ends (that is, the plurality of control processes end), and the process returns to the remote treatment process.

[0110] As described above, according to the position / force control system 1 in the present embodiment, a plurality of master devices 10 and a plurality of slave devices 20 are remotely installed, and it is possible to establish a communication link by combining an arbitrary master device 10 and a slave device 20. Then, by executing force feedback transmission control between the master device 10 and the slave device 20, the treatment operation performed by the operator via the master device 10 is input to the user via the slave device 20, and the reaction force input from the user to the slave device 20 is presented to the operator via the master device 10. Therefore, it becomes possible to present a tactile sensation closer to that of a massage when the operator directly performs the treatment on the user by the device performing the massage.

[0111] In addition, by performing the treatment, it is possible to adjust the autonomic nerves of the user and expect a relaxation effect in tasks such as work, driving, learning, or hobbies. Further, according to the position / force control system 1 in the present embodiment, the control parameters of the treatment operation performed by the operator on the user can be stored via the position / force control system 1, and part or all of the treatment operation can be automatically reproduced. Therefore, the user can easily repeat receiving the desired treatment operation, and the operator does not need to repeat the same treatment operation, so the work load can be reduced.

[0112] In addition, in the position / force control system 1, remote treatment processing can be executed in an individual treatment mode in which the operator and the user perform treatment one-on-one, and a multiple treatment mode in which one operator performs treatment on a plurality of users. Therefore, in the individual treatment mode, since a specific operator selected by the user or an operator selected by the position / force control system 1 can perform treatment on the user one-on-one, it is possible to perform a delicate treatment while checking the state of the user.

[0113] In addition, in the multiple treatment mode, since a specific operator selected by the user or an operator selected by the position / force control system 1 can perform treatment on a plurality of users simultaneously, it is possible to provide the treatment of a popular operator to many users at the same time, or for a user who prioritizes the time zone for receiving treatment to receive treatment without being affected by the congestion situation.

[0114] [Modification Example 1] In the above-described embodiment, the mechanical configurations provided in the master device 10 and the slave device 20 can be variously different according to the treatment content provided by the position / force control system 1. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the slave device 20 having a function of rubbing the user's back. FIG. 15 is a front view of the slave device 20 shown in FIG. 14, FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of the slave device 20 in FIG. 15, and FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B' of the slave device 20 in FIG. 15.

[0115] The configuration of the slave device 20 shown in FIGS. 14 to 17 is different from the configuration of the slave device 20 shown in FIG. 3 in that it includes a right rubbing part 214R and a left rubbing part 214L that are movable in the front-rear and left-right directions.

[0116] The right rubbing part 214R is installed so as to be movable in the left-right direction with respect to the right arm part 204R, and includes a right support member 216R that supports the right rubbing member 215R so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. Further, the right rubbing part 214R is a member that applies a rubbing action to the user according to the reference values of position and force transmitted from the control device 30 in response to the rubbing operation of the operator, and moves in the front-rear direction with respect to the right support member 216R. That is, the front-rear position of the right rubbing part 214R is changed by the rubbing operation of the operator. Also, the movement of the right rubbing part 214R in the left-right direction can be controlled by the actuator 217, and the movement of the right rubbing part 214R in the front-rear direction can be controlled by the actuator 218. Note that the actuators 217 and 218 each include rotary encoders 217a and 218a that detect the rotation angle of the rotor.

[0117] The left rubbing part 214L is installed so as to be movable in the left-right direction with respect to the left arm part 204L, and includes a left support member 216L that supports the left rubbing member 215L so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. Further, the left rubbing part 214L is a member that applies a rubbing action to the user according to the reference values of position and force transmitted from the control device 30 in response to the rubbing operation of the operator, and moves in the front-rear direction with respect to the left support member 216L. That is, the front-rear position of the left rubbing part 214L is changed by the rubbing operation of the operator. In addition, the lateral movement of the left rubbing part 214L can be controlled by the actuator 219, and the longitudinal movement of the right rubbing part 214R can be controlled by the actuator 220. Note that the actuators 219 and 220 are each provided with rotary encoders 219a and 220a for detecting the rotation angle of the rotor.

[0118] In the master device 10, similar to the right operation part 105R and the left operation part 105L for the right acting part 205R and the left acting part 205L, it is provided with a configuration for the rubbing operation corresponding to the right rubbing part 214R and the left rubbing part 214L. The rubbing operation input by the operator through the configuration for the rubbing operation can be transmitted to the user by the right rubbing part 214R and the left rubbing part 214L of the slave device 20 through force feedback control. Also, in the master device 10, by switching the settings, the right operation part 105R and the left operation part 105L can be made to function as a configuration for the rubbing operation, or an operation part for remotely performing the rubbing operation of the right rubbing part 214R and the left rubbing part 214L (such as a controller that moves the right rubbing part 214R and the left rubbing part 214L in the vertical and lateral directions by a lever) may be provided separately. With such a configuration, as an operation on the user, in addition to the pressing operation by the right pressing member 206R and the left pressing member 206L, it is possible to execute the rubbing operation by the right rubbing part 214R and the left rubbing part 214L.

[0119] In the configuration example of the slave device 20 shown in FIGS. 14 to 17, it is assumed that one right rubbing part 214R and one left rubbing part 214L are provided, but a configuration in which a plurality of right rubbing parts 214R and a plurality of left rubbing parts 214L are provided may also be used.

[0120] As described above, the position / force control system 1 in the present embodiment includes one or more master devices 10 that receive an input of an operation, one or more slave devices 20 that output an operation, and a control device 30 that controls the master device 10 and the slave device 20. The control device 30 transmits to the slave device 20 control parameters for causing the slave device 20 to output a force sense corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device 10, and transmits to the master device 10 control parameters for causing the master device 10 to output a reaction force against the treatment operation output by the slave device 20. As a result, the treatment operation performed by the operator via the master device is input to the user via the slave device, and the reaction force input by the user to the slave device is presented to the operator via the master device. Therefore, it is possible to present a tactile sensation closer to that of a massage when the operator directly performs a treatment on the user by means of a device that performs the massage.

[0121] In response to a request from the slave device 20, the control device 30 establishes a communication link between one master device 10 and the slave device 20 that made the request, and causes the slave device 20 to output a force sense corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device 10. As a result, the operator can perform one-on-one treatment while checking the state of the user, so that it is possible to perform a delicate treatment.

[0122] The control device 30 receives requests from a plurality of slave devices 20 and establishes a communication link between any one master device 10 and the plurality of slave devices 20 that made the request. As a result, it is possible to provide the treatment of a specific operator to many users at the same time, or for the user to receive treatment without being affected by the congestion situation on the operator side.

[0123] The control device 30 establishes a communication link between one master device 10 indicated in the request from the slave device 20 and the plurality of slave devices 20 that made the request. As a result, it is possible to provide the treatment of the operator desired by these users to a plurality of users.

[0124] The control device 30 transmits, as control parameters obtained by normalizing the treatment operation input to the master device 10, to a plurality of slave devices 20. As a result, it is possible to transmit to the slave device 20 control parameters that can be commonly used by a plurality of users.

[0125] The slave device 20 corrects the normalized control parameters transmitted from the control device 30 according to the user of the slave device 20, and outputs a force sense based on the corrected control parameters. As a result, even when one operator performs treatment on a plurality of users, appropriate treatment can be performed according to the body type of each user.

[0126] When at least one of the following occurs: when the physical quantity indicated by the control parameters transmitted from the control device 30 exceeds the set upper limit, and when the communication status of receiving the control parameters from the control device 30 deteriorates from the set state, the slave device 20 executes preset control for suppressing the action on the user. As a result, it is possible to suppress an inappropriate action from being input to the user in a situation where there is a possibility that an appropriate force sense may not be presented to the user.

[0127] The slave device 20 outputs a force sense corresponding to the treatment operation by reproducing the stored control parameters. As a result, it is possible to reproduce the treatment operation performed in the past on the slave device 20.

[0128] The slave device 20 includes pressing members (right pressing member 206R and left pressing member 206L) that press the user to be treated, and outputs the force sense of the pressing operation input to the master device 10 via the pressing members. As a result, in the position / force control system 1, it is possible to execute a treatment that presses the user while transmitting a force sense.

[0129] The slave device 20 includes rubbing members (right rubbing part 214R and left rubbing part 214L) that rub the user to be treated, and outputs a rubbing operation via the rubbing members in response to an operation for the rubbing operation input to the master device 10. Thereby, in the position / force control system 1, an operation of rubbing the user can be executed while transmitting force feedback.

[0130] Also, the slave device 20 (position / force control device) in the present embodiment is configured as a position / force control device that is a slave device 20 in a position / force control system 1 including one or more master devices 10 that receive an input of a treatment operation, one or more slave devices 20 that output a treatment operation, and a control device 30 that controls the master device 10 and the slave device 20. The slave device 20 outputs a force feedback corresponding to the treatment operation based on control parameters representing the force feedback corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device 10 that receives an input of the treatment operation. Thereby, the treatment operation input to the master device 10 in real time or a treatment operation performed in the past can be output by the slave device 20.

[0131] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the control device 30 is configured as a device separate from the master device 10 and the slave device 20 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, it is sufficient that the functional configurations provided in the control device 30, the master control unit 113, and the slave control unit 213 are provided in the entire position / force control system 1, and a part or all of the functions of the control device 30 may be provided in the master control unit 113 or the slave control unit 213. Further, the functions of the master control unit 113 and the slave control unit 213 may be provided in the control device 30 to simplify the configurations of the master device 10 and the slave device 20.

[0132] Also, in the above-described embodiment, in the slave device 20, when detecting a force feedback control parameter that exceeds a value set as the upper limit of various physical quantities (for example, the upper limit value of force, the upper limit value of speed, the upper limit value of displacement, etc.), control for fail-safe is executed, but it is not limited to this. That is, when the communication situation deteriorates from the set state (interruption, speed reduction, large speed fluctuation, etc.), the slave device 20 may execute control for fail-safe.

[0133] Also, the present invention can be implemented by appropriately combining the above-described embodiments and modified examples. The processing for control in the above-described embodiment can be executed by either hardware or software. In other words, it is sufficient that the position-force control system 1 is provided with a function capable of executing the above-described processing, and the functional configuration and hardware configuration for realizing this function are not limited to the above examples. When the above-described processing is executed by software, the program constituting the software is installed in the computer from a network or a storage medium.

[0134] The storage medium storing the program is composed of a removable medium distributed separately from the device main body, or a storage medium pre-embedded in the device main body, etc. The removable medium is composed of, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, an SD card, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a magneto-optical disk. The optical disk is composed of, for example, a CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), a Blu-ray Disc (registered trademark), etc. The magneto-optical disk is composed of an MD (Mini-Disk), etc. Also, the storage medium pre-embedded in the device main body is composed of, for example, a ROM or a hard disk in which the program is stored.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0135] 1 Position - Force Control System, 10 Master Device, 101 Base Unit, 102 Pressure - Receiving Unit, 103 Front - Rear Arm, 104R, 204R Right Arm Part, 104L, 204L Left Arm Part, 105R Right Operation Part, 105L Left Operation Part, 106R Right Pressure - Receiving Member, 106L Left Pressure - Receiving Member, 107R, 207R Right Support Member, 107L, 207L Left Support Member, 108~112, 208~212, 217~220 Actuator, 108a~112a, 208a~212a, 217a~220a Rotary Encoder, 113 Master Control Unit, 151, 251 User Interface Control Unit (UI Control Unit), 152, 252 Mode Setting Unit, 153, 253 Sensor Information Acquisition Unit, 154, 254 Force - Tactile Control Unit, 155, 255 Treatment Data Management Unit, 171, 271 Treatment Data Storage Unit, 20 Slave Device, 201 Support Unit, 202 Treatment Unit, 203 Base Part, 205R Right Acting Part, 205L Left Acting Part, 206R Right Pressing Member, 206L Left Pressing Member, 213 Slave Control Unit, 30 Control Device, 351 Request Reception Unit, 352 Link Construction Unit, 353 Force - Tactile Transmission Management Unit, 354 History Data Management Unit, 371 History Database (History DB), 40 Network, C Imaging Device, D Display Device, 410 Force - Velocity Assignment Conversion Block, 420 Ideal Force Source Block, 430 Ideal Velocity (Position) Source Block, 440 Inverse Conversion Block, 800 Information Processing Device, 811 CPU, 812 ROM, 813 RAM, 814 Bus, 815 Input Unit, 816 Output Unit, 817 Storage Unit, 818 Communication Unit, 819 Drive, 820 Imaging Unit, 831 Removable Media

Claims

1. One or more master devices having a first actuator that receives an input of a surgical operation and outputs a reaction force against the surgical operation, One or more slave devices including a second actuator that outputs a surgical operation, A control unit that controls the master device and the slave device, and includes: The control unit transmits to the slave device a control parameter for causing the slave device to output a force sensation corresponding to the surgical operation input to the master device, and transmits to the master device a control parameter for causing the master device to output a reaction force against the surgical operation output by the slave device, The control parameter includes a parameter representing the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover, The control unit Performs control in which position and force are associated by calculating a force input and output in the direction of the surgical operation based on the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover, Executes either an individual surgery mode in which one of the master devices and one of the slave devices perform one-to-one communication, or a multiple surgery mode in which one of the master devices and a plurality of the slave devices perform one-to-many communication, In the individual surgery mode, the control parameter for causing the slave device to output a force sensation corresponding to the surgical operation input to the master device is transmitted to the slave device, and the control parameter for causing the master device to output a reaction force against the surgical operation output by the slave device is transmitted to the master device, In the multiple surgery mode, the control parameter for causing the slave device to output a force sensation corresponding to the surgical operation input to the master device is transmitted to the slave device. A position / force control system characterized by the above.

2. The control unit executes the multiple surgery mode in one of the master devices indicated in a request from the slave device and a plurality of the slave devices that made the request. The position / force control system according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The position / force control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit transmits, as the control parameters obtained by normalizing the treatment operation input to the master device, to the plurality of slave devices in the plurality of treatment modes.

4. The slave device corrects the normalized control parameters transmitted from the control unit according to the user of the slave device, and outputs a force sense based on the corrected control parameters. The position / force control system according to claim 3.

5. The slave device executes preset control for suppressing the action on the user when at least one of the following occurs: when the physical quantity indicated by the control parameters transmitted from the control unit exceeds the set upper limit, and when the communication situation for receiving the control parameters from the control unit deteriorates from the set state. The position / force control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The slave device outputs a force sense corresponding to the treatment operation by reproducing the stored control parameters. The position / force control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The slave device includes a pressing member that presses the user to be treated, and outputs the force sense of the pressing operation input to the master device through the pressing member. The position / force control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The slave device includes a rubbing member that rubs the user to be treated, and outputs a rubbing operation through the rubbing member corresponding to the operation for the rubbing operation input to the master device. The position / force control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. One or more master devices having a first actuator that receives an input of a treatment operation and outputs a reaction force to the treatment operation; One or more slave devices including a second actuator that outputs a treatment operation. A position / force control device configured as a slave device in a position / force control system including a control unit that controls the master device and the slave device, transmits to the slave device control parameters for outputting a force sensation corresponding to a treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device, and transmits to the master device control parameters for outputting a reaction force to the treatment operation output by the slave device. The control parameters include parameters representing the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover. Based on the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover, a force input / output in the direction of the treatment operation is calculated, whereby control in which position and force are associated is performed. Either an individual treatment mode in which one master device and one slave device perform one-to-one communication or a multiple treatment mode in which one master device and a plurality of slave devices perform one-to-many communication is executed. In the individual treatment mode, the control parameters for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device are transmitted to the slave device, and the control parameters for outputting the reaction force to the treatment operation output by the slave device to the master device are transmitted to the master device. In the multiple treatment mode, the control parameters for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device are transmitted to the slave device. A position / force control device characterized by outputting a force sensation corresponding to a treatment operation based on the control parameters representing the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device that receives the input of the treatment operation.

10. One or more master devices having a first actuator that receives an input of a treatment operation and outputs a reaction force to the treatment operation. One or more slave devices including a second actuator that outputs a treatment operation. A position / force control method executed by a position / force control system including a control unit that controls the master device and the slave device. A control step in which the control unit transmits to the slave device control parameters for causing the slave device to output a force sense corresponding to a treatment operation input to the master device, and transmits to the master device control parameters for causing the master device to output a reaction force against the treatment operation output by the slave device, The control parameter includes a parameter representing the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocking with the mover, In the control step, By calculating a force input and output in the direction of the treatment operation based on the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocking with the mover, control in which the position and the force are associated is performed, Either an individual treatment mode in which one master device and one slave device perform one-to-one communication or a multiple treatment mode in which one master device and a plurality of slave devices perform one-to-many communication is executed, In the individual treatment mode, the control parameter for causing the slave device to output a force sense corresponding to a treatment operation input to the master device is transmitted to the slave device, and the control parameter for causing the master device to output a reaction force against the treatment operation output by the slave device is transmitted to the master device, In the multiple treatment mode, the control parameter for causing the slave device to output a force sense corresponding to a treatment operation input to the master device is transmitted to the slave device. A position / force control method characterized by this.

11. One or more master devices having a first actuator that receives an input of a treatment operation and outputs a reaction force against the treatment operation, One or more slave devices including a second actuator that outputs a treatment operation, A position / force control method executed by a slave device in a position / force control system including: a control unit that controls the master device and the slave device, transmits to the slave device control parameters for causing the slave device to output a force sense corresponding to a treatment operation input to the master device, and transmits to the master device control parameters for causing the master device to output a reaction force against the treatment operation output by the slave device, The control parameter includes a parameter representing the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover, Based on the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover, control in which position and force are associated is performed by calculating a force to be input and output in the direction of the treatment operation, Either an individual treatment mode in which one master device and one slave device perform one-to-one communication or a multiple treatment mode in which one master device and a plurality of slave devices perform one-to-many communication is executed, In the individual treatment mode, the control parameter for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device is transmitted to the slave device, and the control parameter for outputting the reaction force to the treatment operation output by the slave device to the master device is transmitted to the master device, In the multiple treatment mode, the control parameter for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device is transmitted to the slave device, A position / force control method characterized by including a force sensation output step of outputting a force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation based on the control parameter representing the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device that receives the input of the treatment operation.

12. One or a plurality of master devices having a first actuator that receives an input of a treatment operation and outputs a reaction force to the treatment operation, One or a plurality of slave devices including a second actuator that outputs a treatment operation, A computer that configures a control unit of a position / force control system including the control unit that controls the master device and the slave device, Realize a control function of transmitting to the slave device a control parameter for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device and transmitting to the master device a control parameter for outputting the reaction force to the treatment operation output by the slave device, The control parameter includes a parameter representing the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover, The control function is By calculating the force to be input and output in the direction of the treatment operation based on the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover, control in which position and force are associated is performed. Execute either an individual treatment mode in which one of the master devices and one of the slave devices perform one-to-one communication or a multiple treatment mode in which one of the master devices and a plurality of the slave devices perform one-to-many communication. In the individual treatment mode, transmit the control parameters for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device, and transmit the control parameters for outputting the reaction force against the treatment operation output by the slave device to the master device. In the multiple treatment modes, a program characterized by transmitting the control parameters for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device.

13. One or more master devices having a first actuator that receives an input of a treatment operation and outputs a reaction force against the treatment operation, One or more slave devices including a second actuator that outputs a treatment operation, A control unit that controls the master device and the slave device, transmits control parameters for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device, and transmits control parameters for outputting the reaction force against the treatment operation output by the slave device to the master device, in a computer that constitutes a slave device in a position / force control system including: Based on the control parameters representing the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device that receives the input of the treatment operation, realize a force sensation control function for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation. The control parameters include parameters representing the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover. Based on the position of the mover in the first actuator or the second actuator or the position of a member interlocked with the mover, control in which position and force are associated is performed by calculating the force to be input and output in the direction of the treatment operation. Either an individual treatment mode in which one of the master devices and one of the slave devices perform one-to-one communication or a multiple treatment mode in which one of the master devices and a plurality of the slave devices perform one-to-many communication is executed. In the individual treatment mode, the control parameter for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device is transmitted to the slave device, and the control parameter for outputting the reaction force to the treatment operation output by the slave device to the master device is transmitted to the master device. A program characterized in that, in the multiple treatment mode, the control parameter for outputting the force sensation corresponding to the treatment operation input to the master device to the slave device is transmitted to the slave device.

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