Robot and route setting method

Abstract

Provided are a robot and a route setting method that can reduce the burden of registering a position where a probe is moved.　This robot comprises: an arm that can hold a probe of an ultrasonic device; and a control device that controls the operation of the arm. The control device executes: a storage process for changing the position of the probe in accordance with an operation by an operator and storing the changed position of the probe as a registered point in a storage device; and a route setting process for rearranging the order of a plurality of registered points stored in the storage device through the storage process, on the basis of a sorting condition for rearranging the order of the registered points, and setting a route for moving the probe between the plurality of registered points in accordance with the rearranged order.

Description

Robot and path setting method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a robot and a path setting method.

[0002] Conventionally, as a robot of this type, one that has been proposed includes a robot arm that holds an ultrasonic probe and moves the ultrasonic probe along the body surface of a subject, a memory unit that stores instruction trajectory information for moving the ultrasonic probe by the robot arm, and a robot arm control unit that controls the drive of the robot arm so as to move the ultrasonic probe in accordance with the stored instruction trajectory information (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-159027

[0004] In the above-described robot, the robot arm is controlled to move the ultrasound probe according to instruction trajectory information stored in a memory unit. If a change occurs in the position to which the ultrasound probe is moved while registering the instruction trajectory information or while performing treatment by moving the ultrasound probe according to the instruction trajectory information, the operator may need to adjust the points already registered with the points to be newly registered. As a result, there is a problem in that the workload on the operator increases.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a robot and a path setting method that can reduce the burden of registering positions to which a probe is moved.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, this specification discloses a robot including an arm capable of holding a probe of an ultrasound device and a control device that controls the operation of the arm, wherein the control device performs a storage process that changes the position of the probe in response to an operation by an operator and stores the changed position of the probe in a storage device as a registered point, and a path setting process that rearranges the order of the multiple registered points stored in the storage device by the storage process based on a sorting condition for rearranging the order of the registered points and sets a path for moving the probe between the multiple registered points in accordance with the rearranged order.

[0007] According to the robot and route setting method disclosed herein, the order of registered points is rearranged based on sorting conditions, and a route connecting the registered points is set. This reduces the burden on the operator of adjusting registered points that have already been registered and newly registered points. It also reduces the burden on the operator of registering positions to which a probe is moved as registered points.

[0008] 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a robot system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A schematic diagram of the robot. A partially enlarged view of the robot including a hand unit. A partially enlarged view of the robot including a hand unit. A block diagram showing the electrical connection relationship of the robot system. An explanatory diagram showing the operating direction of an ultrasonic probe. An explanatory diagram for explaining the modes through which the robot transitions from power-on to power-off. An explanatory diagram showing an example of an operation mode screen displayed on an operation panel. A diagram showing a selection screen for selecting types A to D. A diagram showing the relationship between types A to D and the priority order of sorting in each axial direction. A diagram for explaining path setting processing. A diagram for explaining path setting processing. A diagram for explaining path setting processing. A diagram for explaining path setting processing. A diagram for explaining path setting processing.

[0009] An embodiment of a robot according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a robot system 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a robot 20. FIGS. 3 and 4 are partial enlarged views of the robot 20 including a hand unit 60. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the electrical connections of the robot system 10. In the following description, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the direction as seen by an operator operating an operation panel 90 of the robot 20 is used as a reference, and the front-to-back direction will be referred to as the X-axis direction, the left-to-right direction as the Y-axis direction, and the up-to-down direction as the Z-axis direction.

[0010] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 , the robot system 10 of this embodiment includes a robot 20 having a multi-joint robot arm 21, a foot switch 91, an ESR controller 92, a tablet terminal 93, and an emergency stop switch 94. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , the robot system 10 holds an ultrasound probe 101 of an ultrasound device 100 at the hand of the robot arm 21, and controls the robot 20 to move while pressing the ultrasound probe 101 against the surface of a human body, thereby causing the ultrasound device 100 to acquire ultrasound echo images of the human body. The robot system 10 is used, for example, as an ultrasound echo guide during surgery such as catheter surgery. An operator (surgeon) operating a catheter guidewire instructs the robot 20 to press the ultrasound probe 101 against the body surface of the human body (patient), and advances the guidewire while recognizing the positional relationship between the tip of the guidewire and the blood vessel from the obtained ultrasound echo image, thereby allowing the guidewire to accurately pass through the center of an occluded or stenotic site in the blood vessel.

[0011] As a preliminary preparation, the operator manually operates the robot arm 21, places the ultrasonic probe 101 held by the robot arm 21 on the patient, and while checking the ultrasonic echo image obtained, determines the points (images) that he / she wants to reproduce during surgery and registers them in the robot 20 (robot control device 80) through direct teaching.

[0012] 1, the ultrasound device 100 includes an ultrasound probe 101 and an ultrasound device main body 110 connected to the ultrasound probe 101 via a cable 102. As shown in Fig. 5, the ultrasound device main body 110 includes an ultrasound diagnosis control unit 111 that controls the entire device, an image processing unit 112 that processes signals received from the ultrasound probe 101 to generate ultrasound echo images, an image display unit 113 that displays the ultrasound echo images, and various operation switches (not shown). Note that the ultrasound probe 101 may be a one-dimensional linear type or convex type, or may be a two-dimensional or three-dimensional multidimensional probe, an H-type probe, or any other shape probe.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the robot 20 includes a base 25, a housing 29 installed on the base 25, a robot arm 21 supported by the housing 29, a hand 60 attached to the tip of the robot arm 21, a robot control device 80 that controls the robot arm 21, and an operation panel 90.

[0014] Casters 26 with stoppers are attached to the four corners of the back surface of the base 25. The robot 20 can be moved freely by the casters 26. In addition, locking portions 28 are provided at multiple locations (for example, three locations) on the back surface of the base 25. The locking portions 28 protrude vertically downward when a lever 27 is pressed down, thereby locking (fixing) the robot 20 so that it cannot move.

[0015] In this embodiment, the robot arm 21 is, for example, a seven-axis articulated arm, and has a first arm 22, a second arm 23, a base 24, a first arm driving device 35, a second arm driving device 36, an attitude holding device 37, a three-axis rotation mechanism 50, and a brake lever 65 (see Figure 4).

[0016] The base end of the first arm 22 is connected to the base 24 via a first joint shaft 31 extending in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The first arm driving device 35 includes a motor 35a, an encoder 35b, and an amplifier 35c (see FIG. 5). The rotation shaft of the motor 35a is connected to the first joint shaft 31 via a reducer (not shown). The first arm driving device 35 rotates (pivots) the first arm 22 along a horizontal plane (XY plane) around the first joint shaft 31 as a fulcrum by driving the first joint shaft 31 with the motor 35a. The encoder 35b is attached to the rotation shaft of the motor 35a and is configured as a rotary encoder that detects the amount of rotational displacement of the motor 35a. The amplifier 35c is a driving unit that drives the motor 35a by switching on and off a switching element.

[0017] The base end of the second arm 23 is connected to the tip end of the first arm 22 via a second joint shaft 32 extending in the vertical direction. The second arm driving device 36 includes a motor 36a, an encoder 36b, and an amplifier 36c (see FIG. 5). The rotation shaft of the motor 36a is connected to the second joint shaft 32 via a reducer (not shown). The second arm driving device 36 rotates (pivots) the second arm 23 along a horizontal plane around the second joint shaft 32 as a fulcrum by driving the second joint shaft 32 with the motor 36a. The encoder 36b is attached to the rotation shaft of the motor 36a and is configured as a rotary encoder that detects the amount of rotational displacement of the motor 36a. The amplifier 36c is a driving unit that drives the motor 36a by switching on and off a switching element.

[0018] In this embodiment, the first arm 22 and the second arm 23 form a horizontal joint arm. Therefore, the robot 20 has arm postures including a right-arm posture mode in which the robot arm 21 operates in a right-arm posture, and a left-arm posture mode in which the robot arm 21 operates in a left-arm posture.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2 , an elevator device 40 is provided within the housing 29. The elevator device 40 is installed on the base 25. The base 24 is provided at the base end of the robot arm 21 and is movable up and down relative to the base 25 by the elevator device 40. The elevator device 40 includes a first slider 41, a first guide member 42, a first ball screw shaft 43 (elevation shaft), a motor 44a, an encoder 44b, and an amplifier 44c (see FIG. 5 ). The first slider 41 is fixed to the base 24. The first guide member 42 extends vertically to guide the movement of the first slider 41. The first ball screw shaft 43 extends vertically and is threadedly engaged with a ball screw nut (not shown) fixed to the first slider 41. The motor 44a rotates the first ball screw shaft 43. The amplifier 44c drives the motor 44a. The lifting device 40 rotates the first ball screw shaft 43 using the motor 44a, thereby moving the base 24 fixed to the first slider 41 up and down along the first guide member 42. The encoder 44b is configured as a linear encoder that detects the vertical position (lifted position) of the first slider 41 (base 24).

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the three-axis rotation mechanism 50 is connected to the tip of the second arm 23 via an attitude-maintaining shaft 33 extending in the vertical direction. The three-axis rotation mechanism 50 includes a first rotation shaft 51, a second rotation shaft 52, and a third rotation shaft 53 that are perpendicular to one another, a first rotation device 55 that rotates the first rotation shaft 51, a second rotation device 56 that rotates the second rotation shaft 52, and a third rotation device 57 that rotates the third rotation shaft 53. The first rotation shaft 51 is supported in an orientation perpendicular to the attitude-maintaining shaft 33. The second rotation shaft 52 is supported in an orientation perpendicular to the first rotation shaft 51. The third rotation shaft 53 is supported in an orientation perpendicular to the second rotation shaft 52. The first rotation device 55 includes a motor 55a that rotates the first rotating shaft 51, an encoder 55b attached to the rotating shaft of the motor 55a and detecting the rotational displacement of the motor 55a, and an amplifier 55c that drives the motor 55a (see FIG. 5). The second rotation device 56 includes a motor 56a that rotates the second rotating shaft 52, an encoder 56b attached to the rotating shaft of the motor 56a and detecting the rotational displacement of the motor 56a, and an amplifier 56c that drives the motor 56a (see FIG. 5). The third rotation device 57 includes a motor 57a that rotates the third rotating shaft 53, an encoder 57b attached to the rotating shaft of the motor 57a and detecting the rotational displacement of the motor 57a, and an amplifier 57c that drives the motor 57a (see FIG. 5).

[0021] The third rotation device 57 includes a housing 54 to which the second rotation shaft 52 is connected and which rotatably supports the third rotation shaft 53 so as to extend perpendicular to the second rotation shaft 52, a motor 57a that rotates the third rotation shaft 53, and a force sensor 68 (see FIG. 5 ). As shown in FIG. 3 , the housing 54 is a box-shaped member having a first surface 54b, a second surface 54t, a third surface 54r, and a fourth surface 54f, which are connected in the circumferential direction (direction along the outer periphery). The second rotation shaft 52 is connected to the third surface 54r. The third rotation shaft 53 is rotatably supported on the housing 54 so as to extend outward from the first surface 54b perpendicular to the third surface 54r, and is rotationally driven by the motor 57a. When the robot arm 21 is positioned at an origin position (as shown in FIG. 2 ), the first surface 54 b is the bottom surface, the second surface 54 t is the top surface, the third surface 54 r is the back surface, and the fourth surface 54 f is the front surface. As shown in FIG. 3 , the second surface 54 t (top surface) of the housing 54 is provided with an operation handle 66 that is held by the operator when the operator manually operates the ultrasonic probe 101 held by the robot arm 21 during direct teaching, and a stop switch 67 that the operator operates to temporarily stop the operation of the robot arm 21 when an unexpected movement occurs in the robot arm 21.

[0022] The force sensor 68 is provided inside the housing 54 and attached to the third rotation shaft 53. The force sensor 68 transmits power from the motor 57a provided inside the housing 54 to the third rotation shaft 53 (hand end portion 60), and detects force components acting in the axial directions of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis as external forces applied to the hand end portion 60 and the operating handle 66, as well as torque components acting around the Ra, Rb, and Rc axes.

[0023] The hand unit 60 is attached to the tip of the third rotation shaft 53. The hand unit 60 has a base 601, a holding unit 602 that holds the ultrasound probe 101 so as to be coaxial with the third rotation shaft 53, and a gripping unit 603 that is held by the operator. The base 601 is a plate-shaped member, and is detachably attached to the third rotation shaft 53 with a snap lock 64. The hand unit 60 (base 601) may also be attached to the third rotation shaft 53 with other fasteners (for example, a ratchet-type fastener, a screw, etc.).

[0024] The holding unit 602 is provided on one surface of the base 601 and holds the ultrasonic probe 101. The holding unit 602 includes, for example, a pair of support walls that support the ultrasonic probe 101 from both sides, and a plate-shaped pressing member that spans from one support wall to the other support wall and presses the ultrasonic probe 101 against the base 601 to hold it. One side of the pressing member is rotatably attached to one support wall via a hinge, and the other side is detachably fixed to the other support wall with a fastener (e.g., a snap lock). Therefore, the pressing member can be opened and closed relative to the pair of support walls, and can be switched between a closed state in which the ultrasonic probe 101 is held and an open state in which the ultrasonic probe 101 can be attached and detached. As a result, the holding unit 602 can be attached to, for example, a linear ultrasonic probe 101 in either orientation.

[0025] The grip portion 603 is gripped by an operator when the operator manually moves the ultrasound probe 101 held by the robot arm 21 during, for example, direct teaching. The grip portion 603 is provided on the surface of the base 601 opposite the surface on which the holding portion 602 is provided, and is formed so as to protrude convexly outward from the other surface. In this embodiment, the grip portion 603 is formed with a convex curved surface as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 . However, the grip portion 603 may be formed in any shape that can be gripped by the operator, such as a tapered shape, a rod shape, a hemisphere, a rectangular parallelepiped shape, or a cube shape. In addition, a direct teaching switch 61 is provided at the top of the convex portion (convex curved surface portion) of the grip portion 603 to allow the operator to manually operate the robot arm 21 during direct teaching. The position of the direct teaching switch 61 may be changed as appropriate.

[0026] In this embodiment, the direct teaching switch 61 is configured as a three-position enable switch. One end of a cable 62 is connected to a terminal of the direct teaching switch 61. A cable guide 63 that guides one end of the cable 62 to the direct teaching switch 61 is fixed to the other surface of the base 601 of the hand 60, closer to the housing 54 than the gripping portion 603. The other end of the cable 62 is connected to wiring that runs from the housing 54 along the robot arm 21 to the robot control device 80. In this embodiment, a connector 621 is provided at the other end of the cable 62, and is removably connected to a connector provided on the housing 54. Therefore, by unlocking the snap lock 64 and pulling out the connector 621, the hand 60 can be easily detached from the housing 54, improving maintainability.

[0027] In the robot 20 of this embodiment, the robot arm 21 is operated by a combination of translational motion in three directions, the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, performed by the first arm driving device 35, the second arm driving device 36, and the elevator device 40, and rotational motion in three directions, the X-axis (pitching) Rb, the Y-axis (rolling) Ra, and the Z-axis (yawing) Rc, performed by the three-axis rotation mechanism 50. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6 , the robot 20 can move the ultrasonic probe 101 in each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions (both forward and reverse directions) and rotate it around each of the Ra, Rb, and Rc axes (both forward and reverse rotation directions). In this embodiment, the X-axis direction is the direction in which the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved away from the housing 29 or moved closer to the housing 29. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 , in the X-axis direction, the direction in which the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved away from the housing 29 is the positive direction, and the direction in which the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved closer to the housing 29 is the negative direction. In the Y-axis direction, the left direction is the positive direction and the right direction is the negative direction. In the Z-axis direction, the upward direction is the positive direction and the downward direction is the negative direction. The definitions of the directions and positive / negative signs shown in FIG. 6 are merely examples. In the robot system 10 of this embodiment, the center of rotation is set so that the holding unit 602 rotates around the center 123 (see FIG. 6) of the tip of the ultrasonic probe 101 held by the holding unit 602.

[0028] The attitude holding device 37 holds the attitude of the three-axis rotation mechanism 50 (the orientation of the first rotation shaft 51) in a constant direction regardless of the attitudes of the first arm 22 and the second arm 23. The attitude holding device 37 includes a motor 37a, an encoder 37b, and an amplifier 37c (see FIG. 5). The rotation shaft of the motor 37a is connected to the attitude holding shaft 33 via a reducer (not shown). The attitude holding device 37 sets a target rotation angle of the attitude holding shaft 33 based on the rotation angles of the first joint shaft 31 and the second joint shaft 32 so that the axial direction of the first rotation shaft 51 is always aligned in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction), and drives and controls the motor 37a so that the attitude holding shaft 33 reaches the target rotation angle. This allows the translational motion in three directions and the rotational motion in three directions to be controlled independently, making control easier.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4 , the brake lever 65 is a generally L-shaped member that extends downward (in the direction of extension of the attitude-maintaining shaft 33) from the three-axis rotation mechanism 50 (first rotation shaft 51) and bends perpendicularly at the end of the extension. Mechanical brakes (e.g., disc brakes) are attached to each axis of the robot arm 21 except for the horizontally rotating axes (first joint shaft 31, second joint shaft 32, and attitude-maintaining shaft 33). The mechanical brakes are configured to activate when the corresponding motors are stopped. The operator can release the mechanical brakes by operating the brake lever 65 upward in the figure. This allows the operator to manually release the mechanical brakes and move the robot arm 21 to a safe position even if the power supply to the robot 20 is interrupted due to some abnormality.

[0030] The operation panel 90 is a touch panel display that displays various information related to the robot system 10 and allows various instructions to be input to the robot system 10. In this embodiment, the operation panel 90 is installed on the top surface of the housing 29 that houses the lifting device 40 of the robot 20 and the robot control device 80.

[0031] 1 is a pedal switch that is turned on when the operator steps on it, and is connected via a cable to the robot control device 80 of the robot 20. In this embodiment, the foot switch 91 has four switches (a first switch 911, a second switch 912, a third switch 913, and a fourth switch 914) arranged horizontally.

[0032] The ESR controller 92 is an operation controller that is held by the operator with both hands and pressed down by the operator, and is connected wirelessly to the robot control device 80 of the robot 20. The ESR controller 92 may also be connected to the robot control device 80 of the robot 20 via a wire. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the ESR controller 92 has a directional key button 921, a push button 922, a button 923, a button 924, and push buttons 925 and 926. The directional key button 921 has buttons (up button, down button, left button, and right button) that can be operated with the thumb of the left hand. The push button 922 has four buttons (A button, B button, X button, and Y button) that can be operated with the thumb of the right hand and are arranged in a diamond shape. The button 923 has an L1 button and an L2 button that can be operated with the index finger and middle finger of the left hand, respectively. The buttons 924 include an R1 button and an R2 button that can be operated with the index finger and middle finger of the right hand, respectively. A plurality of push buttons 925 and 926 are arranged between the directional key button 921 and the four push buttons 922.

[0033] The tablet terminal 93 includes a control device including a CPU, ROM, RAM, and storage (SSD), a touch panel display that displays various information and allows the operator to input operations, and a communication unit. The tablet terminal 93 is communicably connected to the robot control device 80 of the robot 20 via wireless communication. In this embodiment, the tablet terminal 93 has a remote desktop function that allows the operation panel 90 to be remotely controlled from the tablet terminal 93 via wireless communication.

[0034] The emergency stop switch 94 is a button that forcibly stops the robot 20 in an emergency, and is connected via a cable to the robot control device 80. The emergency stop switch 94 may also be provided on the robot arm 21, the housing 29, etc.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5 , the robot control device 80 includes a robot control unit 81, a monitoring unit 82, an IO unit 83, a communication unit 84, and a storage unit 85. The robot control unit 81 is configured as a processor including a CPU, ROM, RAM, peripheral circuits, etc. The monitoring unit 82 is configured as a one-chip microcomputer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, peripheral circuits, etc. The robot control unit 81 performs various processes related to the control of the robot arm 21 (motors 35 a to 37 a, 44 a, 55 a to 57 a). The monitoring unit 82 monitors the status of each unit, such as the IO unit 83, the communication unit 84, the amplifiers 35 c to 37 c, 44 c, 55 c to 57 c, the encoders 35 b to 37 b, 44 b, 55 b to 57 b, and the sensor unit including the direct teaching switch 61. The robot control unit 81 detects abnormalities in the robot system 10 based on the monitoring results of the monitoring unit 82. The IO unit 83 is an I / O port that receives detection signals from the direct teaching switch 61, detection signals from the stop switch 67, operation signals from the operation panel 90, etc., and outputs display signals to the operation panel 90. The communication unit 84 communicates with the robot control device 80 and external devices (such as the foot switch 91, ESR controller 92, tablet terminal 93, and emergency stop switch 94) via wire or wirelessly, and exchanges various signals and data. The memory unit 85 is a memory device such as a RAM, ROM, HDD, or SSD, for example.

[0036] Each of the amplifiers 35c to 37c, 44c, and 55c to 57c includes a motor control unit 71, a drive power supply unit 72, and an IO unit 73. The drive power supply unit 72 includes, for example, an inverter circuit that supplies the power necessary to drive the motors 35a to 37a, 44a, and 55a to 57a. The motor control unit 71 controls each of the motors 35a to 37a, 44a, and 55a to 57a by, for example, feedback control (switching control) of the switching elements of the inverter circuit of the drive power supply unit 72 based on encoder information from the encoders 35b to 37b, 44b, and 55b to 57b. The IO unit 83 is an I / O port that inputs various signals such as encoder information from the encoders 35b to 37b, 44b, and 55b to 57b, current signals from current sensors that detect the current flowing through each of the motors 35a to 37a, 44a, and 55a to 57a, and command signals (control signals) from the robot control unit 81 to each of the motors 35a to 37a, 44a, and 55a to 57a.

[0037] The robot 20 has three robot statuses: control off, control on, and robot on. Control off is a state in which the robot control unit 81 stops supplying power to the amplifiers 35c to 37c, 44c, and 55c to 57c, making the robot arm 21 (motor) uncontrollable. Control on is a state in which the robot control unit 81 supplies power to the amplifiers 35c to 37c, 44c, and 55c to 57c, making the robot arm 21 controllable. In this state, it is possible to change the posture of the robot arm 21 by directly touching it. Robot on is a state in which, from the control on state, the robot control unit 81 outputs control signals to the amplifiers 35c to 37c, 44c, and 55c to 57c to control the robot arm 21. The robot status is changed based on instructions from the operator and based on the monitoring results of the monitoring unit 82.

[0038] Next, we will explain the modes of the robot 20 provided in the robot system 10 configured as described above. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram explaining the modes that the robot 20 transitions through from power-on to power-off. When the robot control device 80 of the robot 20 is instructed to power on, it first executes a startup mode in which it prepares for use of the system.

[0039] In startup mode, pre-use inspection, user selection / user setting, self-diagnosis, posture conversion, and other operations are performed. Pre-use inspection involves displaying inspection points on the operation panel 90 using images and explanations to encourage users to inspect the system before using it. User selection / user setting involves accepting the selection of pre-registered users and various settings for each user on the operation panel 90. By selecting a user, for example, it is possible to individually set the operating feel (assist force) when the user (operator) manually operates the robot arm 21 during direct teaching. For example, there are three user levels for users: operator, administrator, and maintenance technician. The functions available to use in the system are limited for each user level. Self-diagnosis involves automatically diagnosing various hardware components after power-on. The posture conversion is performed by accepting a selection on the operation panel 90 between a right-arm posture mode (types C and D in FIG. 9 ) in which the robot arm 21 including the horizontal joint arms (first arm 22 and second arm 23) is operated in a right-arm posture, and a left-arm posture mode (types A and B in FIG. 9 ) in which the robot arm 21 is operated in a left-arm posture, and automatically converting the posture of the robot arm 21 according to the selected posture mode. The sorting order, which will be described later, is changed depending on the selected type. Note that the type change may be accepted outside the startup mode.

[0040] When the system starts up after passing through the startup mode, the robot control device 80 transitions to the operation mode. In addition to the operation mode, the modes available after the system has started up also include a maintenance mode and a setting mode. The mode transitions among the three modes depending on the operator's operation of the operation panel 90 or tablet terminal 93. When an instruction to turn off the power is given, the robot control device 80 executes the shutdown mode, which performs a predetermined shutdown process, and then turns off the power.

[0041] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an operation mode screen displayed on the operation panel 90. The tablet connection start B1 shown in FIG. 8 is a button that, when touched by the operator, allows wireless connection between the tablet terminal 93 and the robot control device 80. When the tablet terminal 93 is wirelessly connected to the robot control device 80, the same screen as that displayed on the operation panel 90 is displayed on the display of the tablet terminal 93 by the remote desktop function, allowing operations similar to those on the operation panel 90 to be performed. Therefore, the operations using the operation panel 90 described below can also be performed on the tablet terminal 93 in the same way. The operation button B2, maintenance button B3, and setting button B4 are buttons for switching between operation mode, maintenance mode, and setting mode, respectively.

[0042] The operation mode is a mode used during surgery. The various functions of the operation mode include direct teaching, point registration, point display, point sorting, point deletion, point replay, interpolation movement, 90-degree rotation, fine adjustment, storage position movement, origin position movement, etc. These functions are executed by the operator operating the operation panel 90, tablet terminal 93, foot switch 91, ESR controller 92, etc.

[0043] Direct teaching is a function that allows the operator to directly operate the robot arm 21 by gripping the gripping portion 603 of the hand portion 60 or the operating handle 66 and applying force, and generates an assist force from the motors of each axis in the direction of the applied force so that the operator can operate the robot arm 21 with less force. Direct teaching is performed only while the direct teaching switch 61 is on. When the direct teaching switch 61 is turned off, the motor assistance is stopped, making it difficult for the operator to manually operate the robot arm 21. Note that point regeneration, which will be described later, is performed when the direct teaching switch 61 is off.

[0044] Point registration involves the operator manually operating the robot arm 21 during direct teaching, placing the ultrasonic probe 101 held by the robot arm 21 on the patient, and checking the acquired ultrasonic echo image to determine and register points (images) to be reproduced during surgery. Point registration may also be performed during surgery. Points to be registered include the position and orientation of the ultrasonic probe 101 (X, Y, and Z coordinate values ​​and the angle values ​​of Ra, Rb, and Rc), the position of each axis of the robot arm 21 (angle values ​​and elevation coordinate values), etc. Point registration can be performed by touching the point record button B5 (see FIG. 8 ) on the operation panel 90. In this embodiment, point registration can also be performed by depressing the foot switch 91 (e.g., the first switch 911).

[0045] The point display function displays the three-dimensional position of the robot 20, for example, the three-dimensional position of the tip of the ultrasonic probe 101, as a two-dimensional position viewed from a predetermined direction, and is a function that displays registered points on the operation panel 90. The point display function allows zooming in and out, viewpoint changes, and the like, by operating the operation panel 90. The operation panel 90 also displays the operable range of the ultrasonic probe 101. The point sort function rearranges the registered points. In this embodiment, the points are played back in order from the patient's groin to their toes. Therefore, the robot control device 80 automatically rearranges the recorded points based on conditions received from the user, such as when changing posture in the activation mode or when registering a new point during surgery. Details of point sorting will be described later.

[0046] The Select / Delete button B7 shown in FIG. 8 is a button for individually deleting registered points. The Delete All button B8 is a button for deleting all registered points at once. The Playback Mode button B9 is a button for switching the mode for playing back registered points. By playing back points during surgery, ultrasound echo images can be acquired for each point, allowing the operator to operate the catheter while viewing the images. The operator can move a point from its current position to the next point or the previous point by touching the Move button B10 on the operation panel 90 or by depressing the foot switch 91. For example, the operator can move a point from its current position to the next point by depressing the third switch 913 of the foot switch 91, and can move a point from its current position to the previous point by depressing the second switch 912 of the foot switch 91.

[0047] The playback modes for point playback include a normal movement mode, which plays back the registered point positions as they are, as well as a continuous movement mode and an interpolated movement mode. When the continuous movement mode is selected using the playback mode button B9, the robot control device 80 continues to operate while the operator is touching the operation panel 90 or depressing the foot switch 91, and stops the robot arm 21 at that position when the touch or depressing is released. This allows the operator to stop the robot arm 21 at any point. The interpolated movement mode is a mode in which an arbitrary movement distance is set and the robot arm 21 (ultrasound probe 101) is moved to that position. Once the arbitrary movement distance is set, the robot control device 80 automatically interpolates from the registered points to calculate the position. Linear interpolation or circular interpolation can be used as the interpolation method.

[0048] The 90-degree rotation button B11 is a button for executing a 90-degree rotation function that rotates the ultrasound probe 101 by 90 degrees while maintaining the current posture of the robot arm 21. This makes it possible to acquire an ultrasound echo image of the transverse cross section (cross section in the width direction) of the blood vessel and check whether the position of the catheter in the blood vessel is shifted from the center of the blood vessel. Note that, in order to reduce discomfort felt by the patient when rotating the ultrasound probe 101 by 90 degrees, the ultrasound probe 101 may be temporarily moved away from the surface of the patient's body before rotating the ultrasound probe 101 by 90 degrees.

[0049] The fine adjustment function enables fine position adjustments based on the playback position using point playback. Moving the robot arm 21 to a point registered using point playback or between points may not completely match the ultrasound echo image acquired using direct teaching. Multiple fine adjustment function buttons B12 are provided, corresponding to the plus and minus directions along each of the X, Y, and Z axes, and the plus and minus directions around each of the axes: the rotation direction Ra around the Y axis, the rotation direction Rb around the X axis, and the rotation direction Rc around the Z axis. In the screen configuration shown in FIG. 8 , the directions are arranged in order from left to right: X axis, Y axis, Z axis, Ra, Rb, and Rc, with plus and minus buttons provided vertically for each direction. The robot control device 80 moves and rotates in the corresponding direction in response to the operation of the fine adjustment function button B12. As a fine adjustment method, the robot control device 80 can perform a step operation, which moves by a preset step amount, and a continue operation, which continues operation while the button is operated. The fine adjustment function can be performed by touching the fine adjustment function button B12 on the operation panel 90, or by pressing the corresponding button on the ESR controller 92.

[0050] For example, in the ESR controller 92, when the up button of the directional key buttons 921 is pressed, the robot control device 80 moves the ultrasonic probe 101 to the plus side in the X-axis direction, when the down button is pressed, the ultrasonic probe 101 to the minus side in the X-axis direction, when the left button is pressed, the ultrasonic probe 101 to the plus side in the Y-axis direction, and when the right button is pressed, the ultrasonic probe 101 to the minus side in the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, when the L1 button 923 is pressed, the robot control device 80 moves the ultrasonic probe 101 to the plus side in the Z-axis direction, and when the L2 button 923 is pressed, the ultrasonic probe 101 to the minus side in the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, when the A push button 922 is pressed, the robot control device 80 rotates the ultrasonic probe 101 to the plus side in the rotation direction Ra around the Y-axis, and when the B push button 922 is pressed, the ultrasonic probe 101 to the minus side in the rotation direction Ra. Furthermore, when the X push button 922 is pressed, the robot control device 80 rotates the ultrasound probe 101 to the plus side in the rotation direction Rb around the X axis, and when the Y push button 922 is pressed, the robot control device 80 rotates the ultrasound probe 101 to the minus side in the rotation direction Rb. Furthermore, when the R1 button 924 is pressed, the robot control device 80 rotates the ultrasound probe 101 to the plus side in the rotation direction Rc around the Z axis, and when the R2 button 924 is pressed, the robot control device 80 rotates the ultrasound probe 101 to the minus side in the rotation direction Rc.

[0051] Furthermore, when the storage position movement button B13 is touched, the robot control device 80 places the robot arm 21 in the folded storage position, and when the origin position movement button B14 is touched, the robot arm 21 is placed in a predetermined origin position. The X-axis inversion button B15 and the Y-axis inversion button B16 are buttons for inverting the operation direction. For example, when the X-axis inversion button B15 is touched, the robot control device 80 inverts the positive and negative directions in the X-axis direction (positive and negative movement directions) and the positive and negative directions in the rotation direction Ra (positive and negative rotation directions). Similarly, when the Y-axis inversion button B16 is touched, the robot control device 80 inverts the positive and negative directions in the Y-axis direction (positive and negative movement directions) and the positive and negative directions in the rotation direction Rb (positive and negative rotation directions). This inverts the actual movement direction of the ultrasound probe 101 (robot 20) and the operation buttons of the fine adjustment function button B12 and the ESR controller 92.

[0052] The maintenance mode is a mode that can be used only by, for example, maintenance personnel, and allows the operator to check information related to the maintenance of the robot system 10. While detailed descriptions of the maintenance mode are omitted, for example, version management in the maintenance mode allows the software of the robot control device 80 to be upgraded. The setting mode is a mode in which various settings can be changed. While detailed descriptions of the setting mode are omitted, for example, the IO allocation setting in the setting mode allows the assignment of functions to the foot switch 91 and the stop switch 67 to be changed. For example, in the default setting, the first switch 911, the second switch 912, the third switch 913, and the fourth switch 914 of the foot switch 91 are assigned the following functions: point registration, the previous point in point regeneration, the next point in point regeneration, and activation of the ESR controller 92, respectively. The IO allocation setting allows these assignments to be changed. Enabling the ESR controller 92 allows the ESR controller 92 to be operated only while the fourth switch 914 is depressed, for example.

[0053] (Path Setting Process and Path Setting Method) Next, the path setting process for sorting points and setting a path will be described. When registering points, the operator basically registers the points according to the order in which the echo images are checked, specifically, in the order from the entrance to the target site where the catheter is inserted toward the end (e.g., from the patient's groin to the toes). In this case, the registration order and the playback order are the same. However, after registering a point, there may be cases where the operator wants to return to the entrance side and re-check the echo images to register (add) another point. Furthermore, the robot 20 of this embodiment can adjust or delete the position of a registered point using the direct teaching function or fine adjustment function. In such cases, the positional relationship of the registered points may change, for example, the order of two points, i.e., the playback order, may need to be swapped, and the order must be sorted. Forcing the operator to sort the order every time a change occurs increases the operator's workload. Therefore, the robot 20 of this embodiment automatically executes the following path setting process during direct teaching and fine adjustment. The robot controller 80, for example, repeatedly executes the following path setting process at predetermined intervals to automatically sort the order and set the path. This predetermined interval is a short time, such as a few ms or a few μs. The robot controller 80 also executes the following path setting process when an operation is received from the operator or when a predetermined operation is completed (such as canceling or stopping direct teaching). For example, the robot controller 80 executes the path setting process when it receives an operation to register a new point (such as operating the first switch 911). As a result, from the operator's perspective, it appears as if automatic sorting is always being performed during operation.

[0054] In the path setting process, for example, the robot control device 80 first acquires the posture type of the robot arm 21 relative to the patient. FIG. 9 shows a selection screen 121 for selecting a type. The robot control device 80 displays, on the selection screen 121, multiple images 122 representing different types A to D of the positional relationship between the patient P and the robot 20, and a selection button B21 for accepting the type selection. The robot system 10 can set, for example, types A to D shown in FIG. 9 as posture types. Type A shown in the upper left of FIG. 9 is a posture type in which the robot 20 is placed on the left hand side of the patient P and the robot arm 21 is operated in a left-arm posture. Type B shown in the upper right of FIG. 9 is a posture type in which the robot 20 is placed on the right hand side of the patient P and the robot arm 21 is operated in a left-arm posture. Type C shown in the lower left of FIG. 9 is a posture type in which the robot 20 is placed on the left hand side of the patient P and the robot arm 21 is operated in a right-arm posture. Type D shown in the lower right of Fig. 9 is a posture type in which the robot 20 is placed on the right hand side of the patient P and the robot arm 21 is operated in a right-arm posture. The left-arm posture is, for example, a posture in which the second joint axis 32 is placed on the left side in the Y-axis direction with respect to the first joint axis 31. The right-arm posture is, for example, a posture in which the second joint axis 32 is placed on the right side in the Y-axis direction with respect to the first joint axis 31.

[0055] For example, during posture change in startup mode, the robot control device 80 displays the selection screen 121 shown in FIG. 9 on the operation panel 90 and accepts the selection of one of four types (selection buttons B21). When one of the four selection buttons B21 is touched, the robot control device 80 sets the type corresponding to the touched selection button B21 as the selected type. The robot control device 80 acquires a posture type based on the selected type. FIG. 10 shows the relationship between types A to D and the sorting priority for each axial direction. For example, the data shown in FIG. 10 is stored as setting data in the storage unit 85 of the robot control device 80. The robot control device 80 determines the sorting conditions for sorting the order (playback order) based on the selected type and this setting data. The robot system 10 of this embodiment is used, for example, as an ultrasound echo guide for catheter surgery. The sorting priority is set according to the blood vessels that will be the target of the surgery. Specifically, the blood vessels in the thigh, which is the target of surgery, flow through the thigh from the groin to the toes, from the outside to the inside of the leg, and from the top to the bottom of the patient lying on their back. The sorting priority is set according to these surgical targets.

[0056] For example, as shown in Fig. 10, when Type A or Type C is selected, the sorting priority is "Y-axis ascending order," "X-axis ascending order," "Z-axis descending order," and "registration ascending order." When the acquired posture type is Type A or Type C, the robot control device 80 first sorts each point in ascending order in the Y-axis direction (from right to left in Fig. 9) based on the Y coordinate value (see Fig. 6). This allows the order of the points to be automatically rearranged so that they are aligned in the direction from the base of the patient P's foot to the toes, based on the positional relationship between the robot 20 and the patient P.

[0057] Furthermore, for points with the same Y coordinate value, the robot control device 80 sorts the points in ascending order in the X-axis direction (from bottom to top in FIG. 9) based on the X coordinate value (see FIG. 6). This allows the order of points with the same Y coordinate value to be automatically rearranged so that they are lined up in a direction from the outside to the inside of the foot.

[0058] Furthermore, for points with the same X and Y coordinate values, the robot control device 80 sorts the points in descending order along the Z axis (from top to bottom, see FIG. 6) based on the Z coordinate value. This allows the order of points that have the same X and Y coordinate values ​​to be automatically rearranged so that they are arranged from top to bottom with respect to the patient P lying on his back, for example.

[0059] The robot control device 80 then sorts points with the same X, Y, and Z coordinate values ​​in ascending order of registration. Therefore, points with the same X, Y, and Z coordinate values ​​are rearranged in the order in which they were first registered. During direct teaching or fine adjustment, the robot control device 80 rearranges the order of points (registered points and temporary points, described later) and sets routes according to the above-mentioned sorting priority at predetermined intervals or in response to an operator's operation.

[0060] Similarly, as shown in FIG. 10 , when Type B or Type D is selected, the sorting priority is "Y-axis descending," "X-axis ascending," "Z-axis descending," and "registration ascending." That is, the sorting order for the Y-axis, which has the highest priority, is reversed. When the acquired posture type is Type B or Type D, the robot control device 80 first sorts each point in descending order along the Y-axis (from left to right in FIG. 9 ) based on the Y-coordinate value. As a result, similar to Types A and C, the order can be automatically rearranged so that the points are arranged in a direction from the base of the patient P's foot toward the toes, based on the positional relationship between the robot 20 and the patient P. Note that the X-axis, Z-axis, and registration order are the same as those for Types A and C described above, and therefore will not be described here. The sorting priority shown in FIG. 10 is merely an example. For example, the X-axis may have a higher priority than the Y-axis. Furthermore, the method of determining the priority (sorting conditions) is not limited to the method based on the user's selection described above. For example, the robot control device 80 may detect the direction in which the patient P is lying down by image recognition, and determine types A to C based on the direction of the patient P's head and feet to set the priority (sorting conditions). The order of sorting in the present disclosure is not limited to the order in which the points are played back, i.e., the order in which the echo images are acquired. For example, if the ultrasound device 100 is a device that performs treatment using the ultrasound probe 101, the order may be the order in which the treatment is performed.

[0061] As described above, the robot control device 80 accepts the selection of any sorting condition from among the multiple different sorting conditions shown in Fig. 10 via the operation panel 90, and rearranges the order based on the selected sorting condition. This allows the operator to change the sorting condition depending on the positional relationship between the robot 20 and the patient P, etc. Sorting can be performed according to the usage environment.

[0062] The robot control device 80 also displays multiple images 122 indicating the positional relationship between the patient P to be treated by the ultrasound probe 101 and the robot 20, along with selection buttons B21, on the operation panel 90, and rearranges the order based on sorting conditions corresponding to the type of positional relationship indicated by the selected selection button B21. This allows the operator to visually confirm the positional relationship (type) using the images 122 and intuitively select appropriate sorting conditions, thereby reducing the workload of selecting sorting conditions.

[0063] 10, the sorting conditions include a condition for sorting by coordinates in the X, Y, and Z axes (examples of the first and second sorting conditions of the present disclosure). The robot control device 80 sorts the data by the X-axis coordinate value in accordance with the priority order as described above. For example, if the Y-coordinate values ​​are the same, the robot control device 80 sorts the data by the X-axis coordinate value. This allows a priority order to be set for each axis and sorting to be performed. The priority order for each axis can be set depending on the purpose of use of the robot 20, the environment in which it is used, its relationship to the target object (patient P), and the like, and appropriate sorting can be performed.

[0064] Next, an example of a route setting process will be described. In the following description, sorting when registering points will be described first. To avoid complication, the following description will focus on sorting along the Y-axis. However, as described above, sorting along the Y-axis can be performed in the same manner as described below, for cases where the Y coordinate values ​​are the same, or where the Y and X coordinate values ​​are the same. The following description will focus on the case where Type A described above is selected. Therefore, sorting along the Y-axis is performed in ascending order (from right to left). Registered points will be referred to as registered points P1 to P4. The order after sorting (ascending order along the Y-axis in the following description) will be referred to as the sort order. In the sort order, the registered point immediately before the current point will be referred to as the previous point, and the registered point immediately after the current point will be referred to as the next point. Figure 11 shows the registered point display unit 131 of the operation panel 90, illustrating the changes in the state of point registration. Note that the image 133 shown in Figure 8 will be omitted from the following Figures 11 to 16. Furthermore, the robot control device 80 does not need to display the image 133 simulating a human body on the registration point display section 131 .

[0065] First, the operator registers an initial registration point P1 at an arbitrary position. For example, as shown in the upper left diagram of FIG. 11 , the operator changes the position of the ultrasonic probe 101 while pressing the direct teaching switch 61 in the operation mode. The robot control device 80 displays the current position of the ultrasonic probe 101 as a current position PA on the registration point display unit 131. Note that the dashed arrow in the diagram is a schematic representation of the trajectory of movement of the ultrasonic probe 101 for the sake of convenience of explanation, and is not actually displayed. However, the robot control device 80 may display the trajectory of movement of the ultrasonic probe 101, such as the dashed arrow.

[0066] The operator registers a registration point P1 by stepping on the first switch 911 of the foot switch 91 at a predetermined position. The robot control device 80 stores information on the position and orientation (X, Y, and Z coordinate values ​​and the angle values ​​of Ra, Rb, and Rc) of the ultrasonic probe 101 at the current position PA and the position of each axis of the robot arm 21 (angle values ​​and elevation coordinate values) in the memory unit 85 as information on the registration point P1 (an example of the storage process and storage step of the present disclosure). As shown in the second diagram from the top left, the robot control device 80 changes the display of the current position PA to the registration point P1 and displays the number "1" next to the registration point P1, indicating that it is the first registration. Similarly, as shown in the second diagram from the bottom left and the bottom left of FIG. 11 , after registering the registration point P1, the operator moves the ultrasonic probe 101 while pressing the direct teaching switch 61, and then steps on the first switch 911 at a predetermined position to register the registration point P2. When the robot controller 80 receives a depression of the first switch 911, i.e., a registration operation, it executes the path setting process described above. The robot controller 80 sorts the already registered registration point P1 and the newly registered current position PA in ascending order along the Y axis. As shown in the second diagram from the bottom left of FIG. 11 , the current position PA is located on the positive side (left side) of the registered point P1 in the ascending order along the Y axis. Therefore, the robot controller 80 places the current position PA second in the order of points and registers it as registered point P2 (see the bottom left diagram). The robot controller 80 then sets a path L1 from registered point P1 to registered point P2 according to the sorting order. The robot controller 80 displays an arrow from registered point P1 to registered point P2, i.e., an arrow indicating the sorting order (playback order), as an image of the path L1. For example, the robot controller 80 sets the path L1 as a straight line connecting registered point P1 and registered point P2 in the XYZ coordinate system, i.e., the shortest path. The robot control device 80 moves the ultrasonic probe 101 along this path L1 when reproducing the registered points P1 and P2. Note that the path L1 is not limited to the shortest distance connecting the registered points P1 and P2. For example, the path L1 may be a curve with a predetermined curvature.

[0067] 11, the operator registers a third registered point P3. The robot controller 80 sets a route L2 from registered point P2 to registered point P3. In this way, each time a registration operation is performed, the robot controller 80 sorts the points including the newly registered point and executes a route setting process to set a route in accordance with the sorted order.

[0068] Typically, as shown in FIG. 11 , registration points P1, P2, and P3 are registered in this order from right to left. However, as described above, the operator may return the ultrasound probe 101 to the catheter insertion entrance and register a new registration point (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a new registration point). For example, as shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 12 , after registering registration point P2, the operator may move the current position PA to the right of registration point P2, i.e., toward the negative Y-axis, and register it as a new registration point. In this case, the robot control device 80 sorts the already registered registration points P1 and P2, including the new registration point, and sets paths L1 and L2 between the new registration point and the registration points P1 and P2 adjacent to the new registration point according to the sorted order (an example of a first re-route setting process of the present disclosure). As shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 12 , the robot control device 80 sets the current position PA as registration point P2 and the already registered registration point P2 as registration point P3 based on the sorted order. The robot control device 80 also sets a route L1 connecting the registered point P1 and the new registered point P2, and sets a route L2 connecting the new registered point P2 and the new registered point P3. That is, the robot control device 80 executes a route setting process between the newly registered point (current position PA) and the already registered registered points P1 and P2. As a result, sorting is performed each time a new registered point is registered, and appropriate routes L1 and L2 can be automatically set. If a registered point is registered by returning to an earlier point than the already registered point or by moving later, the robot control device 80 can re-sort and reset the route.

[0069] The above-described path setting process also occurs when the positions of already registered points P1 to P3 are adjusted. The positions of registered points P1 to P3 can be adjusted using the fine adjustment function or direct teaching. For example, the following describes a case in which the position of registered point P2 is adjusted after registering three registered points P1 to P3 (P1 → P2 → P3), the second from the top right in FIG. 11 . The robot controller 80 periodically executes the path setting process and sorts the points. For example, the robot controller 80 maintains the direction of the arrows (the relationship between the connecting points) while updating the paths L1 and L2 until, for example, the position of registered point P2 being adjusted becomes left of the position of registered point P3 (see the second diagram from the bottom right in FIG. 11 ). Then, as shown in the bottom right diagram in FIG. 11 , when registered point P2 becomes left of registered point P3, the robot controller 80 rearranges the order and resets paths L1 and L2. As a result of the sorting, the sorting order changes from "P1 → P2 → P3" to "P1 → P3 → P2." Therefore, the robot control device 80 changes the direction of the arrow of the path L2 connecting the pre-change registration point P3 (post-change registration point P2) and the pre-change registration point P2 (post-change registration point P3). In addition, the robot control device 80 sets a new path L1 heading from the registration point P1 to the post-change registration point P2 (pre-change registration point P3).

[0070] Therefore, if the position of an arbitrary registered point is changed and the positional relationship between the arbitrary registered point and the rear registered point no longer satisfies the sorting conditions, the robot control device 80 executes sorting and sets routes L1 and L2 connecting the registered points P1 to P3 according to the rearranged order. This allows the route setting process to be executed even while the positions of the registered points P1 to P3 are being adjusted, and if the order needs to be changed due to a change in position, the order and routes can be automatically updated. Note that, in the example shown in FIG. 11 , a case is described in which an arbitrary registered point (registered point P2) is moved to the left of the rear registered point (registered point P3), but routes L1 to L3 can also be set in a similar manner when the registered point P2 is moved to the right of the front registered point (registered point P1).

[0071] Next, a case where a point is registered or its position is changed along a route will be described. For example, after the registered points P1 to P3 are registered according to the procedure shown in FIG. 11 , the robot control device 80 accepts a playback instruction operation based on the operation of the playback mode button B9 or the movement button B10 (see FIG. 8 ). Upon accepting the playback instruction, the robot control device 80 moves the ultrasonic probe 101 along the routes L1 and L2 in order from the registered points P1 to P3. As shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 13 , the robot control device 80 moves the ultrasonic probe 101 along the routes L1 and L2 in order from the registered point P1, while also changing the position of the displayed current position PA. In the state shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 13 , the current position PA is moving along the route L1 from the registered point P1 toward the registered point P2. Note that when the robot control device 80 accepts an operation to return to a predetermined registered point or a previous point along the route, it executes control to return the ultrasonic probe 101 (current position PA).

[0072] For example, when the robot control device 80 starts movement from the registered point P1, the arrow of the path L1 is changed to point not only to the registered point P2 (the destination) but also to the registered point P1 (the origin), i.e., to an arrow pointing in both directions. This makes it easy to see not only the destination but also the registered point to which the robot will return when a return operation is performed. Furthermore, the robot control device 80 uses different colors and shapes for the arrow pointing from the current position PA to the registered point P2 and the arrow pointing from the current position PA to the registered point P1. That is, the arrow pointing from the current position PA to the forward point and the arrow pointing from the current position PA to the backward point are different arrows. For example, the arrow pointing from the current position PA to the backward point (registered point P2) is a thick red arrow (hereinafter referred to as a thick arrow), and the arrow pointing from the current position PA to the forward point (registered point P1) is a thin white arrow (hereinafter referred to as a thin arrow). This makes it easy to see the direction of movement by the color and thickness of the arrows while still displaying the arrows pointing to both the registered points P1 and P2 from the current position PA. The robot control device 80 moves the current position PA along the paths L1 and L2 in accordance with the position of the ultrasound probe 101, and moves it between the registered points P1 to P3. Note that the above-described display method is an example and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the arrow pointing from the current position PA to the forward point and the arrow pointing to the backward point may be the same arrow. Also, the arrow being played back does not have to be a bidirectional arrow.

[0073] For example, the operator registers a new registration point along route L1. The robot control device 80 sorts the already registered registration points P1 to P3, including the new registration point, and, as shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 13 , sets a new registration point P2 at the current position PA and sequentially moves the previously registered registration points P2 and P3 down to P3 and P4, respectively. The robot control device 80 also sets a new route L1 connecting the registered point P1 and P2, and a new route L2 connecting the registered point P2 and P3, and moves the route L2 connecting the registered points P3 and P4 down to route L3. This allows the operator to register a new registration point along route L1 and reset the sort order and route.

[0074] Furthermore, when any registered point is deleted, the robot control device 80 also executes the route setting process. For example, when an operation to delete registered point P2 is received in the state shown in the lower diagram of Fig. 13, the robot control device 80 sets route L1 connecting registered point P3, which is the rear point, and registered point P1, which is the front point, and increments the route numbers and point numbers of registered point P3 and subsequent points. As a result, the state shown in the upper diagram of Fig. 13 is obtained.

[0075] Next, a case where the current position PA is adjusted midway along the route will be described. For example, a case where the ultrasonic probe 101 is stopped midway along the route L1 shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 13 and the current position PA (ultrasonic probe 101) deviates from the route L1 as shown in the upper left diagram of FIG. 14 will be described. As shown in the upper left diagram of FIG. 14, for example, assume that the ultrasonic probe 101 deviates from the route L1 and moves to a position displaced in the positive direction of the X coordinate and the positive direction of the Y coordinate. In this case, the robot control device 80 rearranges the order of the already registered registration points P1 to P3, including the current position PA of the ultrasonic probe 101 after the movement, based on the sorting conditions. The robot control device 80 sets a route between the current position PA and the registered points P1 and P2 adjacent to the current position PA according to the rearranged sort order (an example of a first re-route setting process of the present disclosure). The robot control device 80 moves the current position PA in accordance with the movement of the ultrasonic probe 101, and sets a new path L1 from the current position PA to the registered point P1 and a new path L2 from the current position PA to the registered point P2, and moves the path L2 between the registered points P2 and P3 down to a path L3. The robot control device 80 also displays the arrows of the paths L1 and L2 as thin arrows pointing to the front point and thick arrows pointing to the rear point, as shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 13 . This allows new paths L1 and L2 to be set when the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved to a position deviating from the previously set path L1. The paths L1 and L2 can be changed to follow the current position PA in accordance with the movement of the ultrasonic probe 101 and connect the current position PA to the front and rear points, respectively.

[0076] Next, suppose that the current position PA is changed and then the changed current position PA is registered as a new registration point. In this case, as shown in the upper right diagram of Fig. 14, the robot control device 80 executes a route setting process including the current position PA. The robot control device 80 stores information on the position and orientation of the ultrasound probe 101 at the current position PA and the positions of each axis of the robot arm 21 in the storage unit 85 as information on a new registration point P2. The robot control device 80 sets the current position PA as the new registration point P2 and moves down the numbers of the registration points after the new registration point P2.

[0077] 14 shows a state in which the current position PA in the upper left diagram is changed, and then playback is performed from the changed current position PA toward a rear point, i.e., the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved. The ultrasonic probe 101 moves along a path L2 toward a registered point P2. The robot control device 80 sets the position before the movement as a temporary point PB and displays it differently from the current position PA (with a different color or shape). The temporary point PB is a point after the above-mentioned position change and is a temporary point that serves as the starting point after the change. The temporary point PB is a point to which the operator has moved the ultrasonic probe 101, deviating from the set paths L1 and L2, and is a point to which an operation to register it as a registered point has not been performed.

[0078] When the ultrasonic probe 101 (current position PA) starts moving from the temporary point PB, the robot control device 80 maintains the arrow pointing from the current position PA to the registered point P2 as a thick arrow while changing the arrow pointing from the current position PA to the temporary point PB to a thin arrow. The robot control device 80 also maintains the arrow pointing from the temporary point PB to the registered point P1 as a thin arrow. Therefore, the robot control device 80 displays the forward and backward arrows of the current position PA while moving from the temporary point PB to the rear point in the same manner as when the previously set route is being followed, while maintaining the arrow pointing from the temporary point PB to the front point as a thin arrow. This allows the positional relationship between the current position PA, the temporary point PB, and the front and rear points to be clearly displayed. The robot control device 80 also performs similar display processing when the ultrasonic probe 101 moves from the temporary point PB to the front point (registered point P1). That is, the robot control device 80 maintains the arrow on the path L1 pointing from the current position PA to the registered point P1 as a thin arrow, while changing the arrow from the current position PA to the temporary point PB to a thick arrow. Also, the robot control device 80 maintains the arrow pointing from the temporary point PB to the registered point P2 as a thick arrow.

[0079] Next, we will explain the case where movement is started from temporary point PB and a position along route L2 is registered as a new registration point. In this case, as shown in the lower right diagram of FIG. 14 , the robot controller 80 executes a route setting process that includes the current position PA on route L2. The sorting of this route setting process does not include the temporary point PB. For example, in response to a point registration operation, the robot controller 80 erases the display of the temporary point PB and deletes the data related to the temporary point PB. The robot controller 80 executes a sorting process that includes the current position PA among the already registered registration points P1 to P3. As a result, the robot controller 80 sets the current position PA as the second registration point P2 and moves the subsequent registration points down to numbers 3 and 4. The robot controller 80 also sets routes L1 and L2 between the new registration point P2 (current position PA) and the adjacent registration points (registered point P1 and the moved-down registered point P3). In this case, route L3 remains as route L3. This allows the operator to check the echo image while moving from the temporary point PB and, if a newly registered point is found, register it as a new registered point. Also, the operator can delete the temporary point PB, move down the number, and set new routes L1 and L2 simply by performing the registration operation.

[0080] In the example shown in Fig. 14, the current position PA after the movement was between registered points P1 and P2 in the sorting order. That is, the current position PA was adjusted within a range in which the sorting order was maintained. On the other hand, Fig. 15 shows a case in which, for example, the current position PA is further changed from the state shown in the upper left diagram of Fig. 14 (the state shown in the upper left diagram of Fig. 15) to move to the positive side of the Y coordinate (later in the sorting order) of registered point P2, which is a later point (the diagram in the lower left diagram of Fig. 15).

[0081] As described above, the robot controller 80 periodically executes a route setting process. When the current position PA moves to a position to the left of the registered point P2, the robot controller 80 updates the route connecting the current position PA to the other registered points. As a result of the route setting process, the sorting order changes from "P1 → PA → P2 → P3" to "P1 → P2 → PA → P3." Therefore, as shown in the lower left diagram of FIG. 15 , the robot controller 80 erases the thick arrow pointing from the current position PA to the registered point P2, sets a new route L3 from the current position PA to the registered point P3 (the rear point), and displays the route L3 with a thick arrow. The robot controller 80 also erases the thin arrow pointing from the current position PA to the registered point P1, sets a new route L2 from the current position PA to the registered point P2 (the front point), and displays the route L2 with a thin arrow. In this way, if the positional relationship (sorting order) between the current position PA and the other registered points P1 to P3 changes during adjustment of the current position PA, the robot controller 80 resets the route.

[0082] Therefore, when the current position PA is changed and the positional relationship between the current position PA and the rear point no longer satisfies the sorting conditions, the robot control device 80 rearranges the order of the current position PA and the rear point based on the sorting conditions. The robot control device 80 sets a path L2 between the current position PA and the rear point (registered point P2) according to the rearranged order. Note that although the above description has been given of a case where the current position PA is moved to the left of the rear point, the path setting process can also be performed in a similar manner when the current position PA is moved to the right of the front point (registered point P1). As a result, when the position of the current position PA is changed and the positional relationship between the current position PA and the front point or the rear point no longer satisfies the sorting conditions, new paths L1 to L3 can be automatically set.

[0083] 15, when an operation to register the current position PA as a new registered point is executed after newly setting the routes L2 and L3, the robot controller 80 registers the points according to the sorting order. In this case, the robot controller 80 sets the current position PA as the third registered point P3 and moves the original registered point P3 down to registered point P4.

[0084] In the above examples, the path setting process is performed when the operator intentionally changes his / her position. However, the path setting process may also be performed when other positions are changed. For example, the robot 20 of this embodiment performs a retraction operation using the force sensor 68 of the third rotation device 57. Specifically, the robot control device 80 acquires the external force applied from the patient P to the hand 60, in other words, the pressing force of the ultrasonic probe 101 against the body surface of the patient P, based on the detection signal of the force sensor 68. The robot control device 80 displays the acquired external force on the operation panel 90 or the like and determines whether the external force is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value. This predetermined reference value is, for example, a value for determining the external force applied from the patient P to the hand 60, and is the upper limit of the pressing force allowed when pressing the ultrasonic probe 101 against the body surface of the patient P. The reference value can be set in advance through experiments, for example, as a force that does not cause pain or discomfort to the patient P. If the robot control device 80 determines that the external force is less than the reference value, it continues the operation (e.g., diagnosis). On the other hand, if the robot control device 80 determines that the external force is equal to or greater than a reference value, it moves the ultrasonic probe 101 upward by a predetermined distance and stops it (emergency stop), for example. Then, the robot control device 80 displays a warning on the operation panel 90, etc. Note that the retraction direction is not limited to upward, and other directions that move the ultrasonic probe 101 away from the patient P can be adopted.

[0085] The current position PA changes during this retraction operation. In the case of an upward retraction, basically only the Z coordinate changes. However, depending on the angle at which the ultrasound probe 101 contacts the patient P and the direction set as the retraction direction, the X and Y coordinates may change. For example, as shown in FIG. 14 , a retraction operation may occur midway along the path L1, causing the current position PA to deviate from the path L1. Alternatively, as shown in the two diagrams at the bottom right of FIG. 11 , a retraction operation may occur during adjustment of the position of the registered point P2, causing the registered point P2 to retract (move) to the left of the registered point P3. Furthermore, as shown in the upper left and lower left diagrams of FIG. 15 , a retraction operation may occur after deviation from the path, causing the current position PA to retract (move) to the left of the registered point P2. The above-described path setting process is also executed during such a retraction operation. This allows automatic order sorting and path setting to be performed even during the retraction operation.

[0086] Next, we will explain the case where, after the temporary point PB is generated, the ultrasonic probe 101 moves to a forward or rearward point without registering a new registered point or changing the current position PA. As shown in the upper left and lower left diagrams of FIG. 14 , if the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved to a position deviating from the path L1, the registered point is regenerated, the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved, and the current position PA moves, the robot control device 80 sets the position before the movement as the temporary point PB. Then, as shown in the upper right diagram of FIG. 16 , for example, when the ultrasonic probe 101 has completed moving from the temporary point PB to the registered point P2, which is a rearward point, the robot control device 80 erases the display of the temporary point PB and the paths L1 and L2 and also deletes the data related to the temporary point PB. The robot control device 80 newly sets the path between the registered points P1 and P2, i.e., the path between the rear and front points before reaching the registered point P2, as the path L1. Similarly, when the ultrasonic probe 101 moves from the temporary point PB to a forward point (registered point P1), the robot control device 80 deletes the current position PA and routes L1 and L2 and sets a new route L1. The robot control device 80 also advances route L3 to route L2. As a result, after the temporary point PB is generated, the temporary point PB can be erased by moving the ultrasonic probe 101 to a forward or rearward point. When position adjustment is started but a new registered point is not registered, or when the temporary point PB is generated by a retreat operation, the temporary point PB can be erased simply by moving the ultrasonic probe 101 to the previous or next registered point.

[0087] Furthermore, if the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved to a position deviating from the path L1 or L2 while moving from the temporary point PB to the front or rear point, the robot control device 80 executes a path setting process (a second re-path setting process of the present disclosure). Specifically, as shown in the lower right diagram of FIG. 16 , if the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved to a position deviating from the path L2 while moving from the temporary point PB to the registered point P2 at the rear point, the robot control device 80 erases the display of the temporary point PB and deletes the data related to the temporary point PB. The robot control device 80 sorts the registered points P1 to P3 stored in the memory unit 85, including the current position PA after the movement, and then sets new paths L1 and L2 connecting the current position PA to the front and rear points, respectively, according to the sorted order. This allows the robot control device 80 to check the echo images of positions deviating from the path L2 while checking the echo images and register those positions along the path L2. Furthermore, since the temporary point PB can be deleted simply by changing the position, the workload of the operator can be reduced. Note that even if the ultrasonic probe 101 is moved to a position deviating from the path L1 while moving from the temporary point PB to the previous point (registered point P1), the robot control device 80 deletes the temporary point PB and resets the paths L1 and L2, just as with the path L2 described above.

[0088] Incidentally, the correspondence between the terms used in this embodiment and the terms described in the claims will be explained below. The ultrasound probe 101 of this embodiment is an example of a probe of the present disclosure. The robot arm 21 is an example of an arm. The force sensor 68 is an example of an external force acquisition device. The robot control device 80 is an example of a control device. The memory unit 85 is an example of a memory unit. The operation panel 90 and the tablet terminal 93 are examples of a user interface and a display device. The ESR controller 92, the foot switch 91, and the emergency stop switch 94 are examples of a user interface. The patient P is an example of an object to be imaged. The X, Y, and Z axis directions are examples of a first axis direction and a second axis direction.

[0089] As described above, the present embodiment provides the following advantages. The robot control device 80, which is one aspect of the present embodiment, rearranges the order of the multiple registered points P1 to P3 stored in the storage unit 85 based on sorting conditions corresponding to the selected type, and sets paths L1 to L3 along which the ultrasound probe 101 is moved between the points according to the rearranged order. This reduces the operator's workload of adjusting the registered points P1 to P3 that have already been registered and the newly registered point.

[0090] The present disclosure is not limited to the above examples, and various improvements and modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the configuration of the robot system 10 in the above embodiment is merely an example. For example, the ESR controller 92 may be connected to the robot 20 via a wired connection. Furthermore, the storage unit 85 that stores the registration points P1 to P4 may be a device separate from the robot system 10, such as a cloud storage device on a network. In the above embodiment, the robot 20 is configured as a seven-axis articulated robot capable of translational movement in three directions and rotational movement in three directions. However, any number of axes may be used. Furthermore, the robot 20 may be configured as a so-called vertical articulated robot or horizontal articulated robot. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first and second axis directions of the present disclosure are orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes, but this is not limiting. For example, the angle between the X axis direction and the Y axis direction is not limited to 90 degrees and may be another angle. Therefore, the angle at which the first and second axial directions intersect in the present disclosure is not limited to 90 degrees.

[0091] Although the robot 20 is provided with multiple sorting conditions (see FIG. 10 ) to match types A to D, it may be configured with only one sorting condition. Furthermore, the ultrasound device of the present disclosure is not limited to a device that captures echo images, but may also be a device that captures echo images and performs treatment, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy (HIFU). In other words, the purpose of use of the ultrasound emitted from the probe can be changed as appropriate.

[0092] The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the dependent relationships described in the claims. For example, this specification also discloses a technical idea in claim 3 where "the robot according to claim 1" is changed to "the robot according to claim 1 or claim 2." It also discloses a technical idea in claim 4 where "the robot according to claim 1" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 1 to 3." It also discloses a technical idea in claim 5 where "the robot according to claim 2 or claim 3" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 2 to 4." It also discloses a technical idea in claim 6 where "the robot according to claim 2 or claim 3" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 2 to 5." It also discloses a technical idea in claim 7 where "the robot according to claim 2 or claim 3" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 2 to 6." It also discloses a technical idea in claim 8 where "the robot according to claim 2 or claim 3" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 2 to 7." The technical idea of ​​changing "the robot according to claim 1 or claim 2" in claim 9 to "the robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8" is also disclosed. The technical idea of ​​changing "the robot according to claim 1 or claim 2" in claim 10 to "the robot according to any one of claims 1 to 9" is also disclosed. The technical idea of ​​changing "the robot according to claim 1 or claim 2" in claim 12 to "the robot according to any one of claims 1 to 11" is also disclosed.

[0093] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present disclosure is applicable to the robot manufacturing industry and the like.

[0094] 20 Robot, 21 Robot arm (arm), 68 Force sensor (external force acquisition device), 80 Robot control device (control device), 85 Memory unit (memory device), 100 Ultrasound device, 101 Ultrasound probe (probe), 90 Operation panel (user interface, display device), 91 Foot switch (user interface), 92 ESR controller (user interface), 93 Tablet terminal (user interface, display device), 94 Emergency stop switch (user interface), 122 Image, B21 Selection button, L1 to L3 Route, P Patient (object), P1 to P4 Registration points, PA Current position, PB Temporary point.

Claims

1. A robot comprising an arm capable of holding a probe of an ultrasound device, and a control device that controls the operation of the arm, wherein the control device executes a storage process that changes a position of the probe in response to operation by an operator, and stores the changed position of the probe in a storage device as a registered point, and a path setting process that rearranges the order of the registered points stored in the storage device by the storage process based on sorting conditions for rearranging the order of the registered points, and sets a path for moving the probe between the registered points in accordance with the rearranged order.

2. The robot described in claim 1, wherein the control device executes a first re-route setting process, when the probe is moved to a position deviating from the route set by the route setting process in response to the operation of the operator, to rearrange the order of the multiple registered points stored in the storage device, including the current position of the probe after the movement, based on the sorting condition, and to set a route for moving the probe between the current position and a registered point adjacent to the current position in accordance with the rearranged order.

3. The robot according to claim 1, further comprising an external force acquisition device that acquires an external force acting on the probe from an object imaged by the ultrasonic device, wherein the control device executes a retraction action to retract the probe from the object when the external force acquired by the external force acquisition device reaches or exceeds a predetermined reference value, and executes a first reroute setting process that, when the probe is moved to a position deviated from the path set by the path setting process by the retraction action, rearranges the order of the multiple registered points stored in the storage device, including the current position after the movement, based on the sorting condition, and sets a path for moving the probe between the current position and a registered point adjacent to the current position in accordance with the rearranged order.

4. The robot described in claim 1, wherein the control device executes a first re-route setting process, when a new registration point that is a new registration point is registered, to rearrange the order of the multiple registration points stored in the storage device, including the new registration point, based on the sorting conditions, and to set a route for moving the probe between the new registration point and a registration point adjacent to the new registration point in accordance with the rearranged order.

5. A robot as described in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein, in the order rearranged by the first reroute setting process, the registered point immediately preceding the current position is designated as a front point, and the registered point immediately following the current position is designated as a rear point, the control device, after executing the first reroute setting process, when moving the probe from the current position to the front point or the rear point along the path set by the first reroute setting process, sets the position before the movement as a temporary point, and when the movement from the temporary point to the front point or the rear point is completed, deletes the temporary point, and sets a path for moving the probe between the front point and the rear point.

6. The robot according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, in the order after rearrangement by the first re-route setting process, the registered point immediately preceding the current position is a front point and the registered point immediately following the current position is a rear point, the control device executes a second re-route setting process in which, after executing the first re-route setting process, when moving the probe from the current position to the front point or the rear point along the route set by the first re-route setting process, the position before the movement is set as a temporary point, and if the probe is moved to a position deviating from the route set by the first re-route setting process in response to an operation by the operator during the movement to the front point or the rear point, the temporary point is deleted, the order of the multiple registered points stored in the storage device is rearranged based on the sorting condition, including the current position after the movement, and a route for moving the probe between the current position and the registered point adjacent to the current position is set in accordance with the rearranged order.

7. The robot described in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein, in the order after rearrangement by the first reroute setting process, the registered point immediately before the current position is designated as a front point and the registered point immediately after the current position is designated as a rear point, the control device, after executing the first reroute setting process, when moving the probe along the route set by the first reroute setting process from the current position to the front point or the rear point, sets the position before the movement as a temporary point, and when registering a position during the movement of the probe as a new registered point while the probe is moving along the route set by the first reroute setting process, deletes the temporary point, rearranges the order of the multiple registered points stored in the storage device, including the current position, based on the sorting condition, and sets a route for moving the probe between the new registered point and the registered point adjacent to the new registered point in accordance with the rearranged order.

8. A robot as described in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein, in the order after rearrangement by the first reroute setting process, the registered point one point after the current position is set as a rear point, the control device: if, after executing the first reroute setting process, the current position is changed and the positional relationship between the current position and the rear point no longer satisfies the sorting condition, rearranges the order of the current position and the rear point based on the sorting condition, and sets a path for moving the probe between the current position and the rear point in accordance with the rearranged order.

9. A robot as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, in the order after rearrangement by the route setting process, the registration point one position after any of the registration points is set as a rear registration point, the control device: if, after executing the route setting process, the position of any of the registration points is changed and the positional relationship between any of the registration points and the rear registration point no longer satisfies the sorting condition, rearranges the order of the any of the registration points and the rear registration point based on the sorting condition, and sets a route for moving the probe between the any of the registration points and the rear registration point in accordance with the rearranged order.

10. A robot as described in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a user interface, wherein the control device accepts selection of any one of a plurality of different sorting conditions via the user interface, and rearranges the order based on the selected sorting condition.

11. The robot according to claim 10, wherein the user interface has a display device, and the control device displays on the display device a plurality of images indicating different types of positional relationships between the robot and a patient to be treated by the probe, and selection buttons for selecting the type, accepts selection of any of the selection buttons from among the displayed selection buttons, and rearranges the order based on the sorting condition corresponding to the type of positional relationship indicated by the selected selection button.

12. The robot of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device moves the probe along a first axis direction and a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction, and the sorting conditions are set as conditions for rearranging the order of the multiple registered points, with a first sorting condition for rearranging by coordinates in the first axis direction and a second sorting condition for rearranging by coordinates in the second axis direction, and the control device, in the path setting process, rearranges the order of the multiple registered points based on the first sorting condition, and when the coordinates in the first axis direction are the same and the orders under the first sorting conditions are the same, rearranges the order of the multiple registered points based on the second sorting condition.

13. A path setting method for a robot equipped with an arm capable of holding a probe of an ultrasound device, comprising: a storage step of changing a position of the probe in response to an operation by an operator, and storing the changed position of the probe in a storage device as a registered point; and a path setting step of rearranging the order of the registered points stored in the storage device by the storage step based on sorting conditions for rearranging the order of the registered points, and setting a path for moving the probe between the registered points in accordance with the rearranged order.

Images