Robot system

Abstract

To provide a robot system with which operability can be improved.　A robot system includes: an arm capable of holding a probe of an ultrasonic device; a user interface having a plurality of operation input parts associated with mutually different operation directions in a coordinate system in which the arm operates, and an inversion switching part; and a control device that operates the arm in an operation direction on the basis of an operation input to an operation input part of the user interface, and inverts the operation direction associated with each of the plurality of operation input parts on the basis of an operation input to the inversion switching part of the user interface.

Description

Robot System

[0001] The present disclosure relates to robotic systems.

[0002] Conventionally, as a robot system 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 this type of robot system, there is room for improvement in the user interface for issuing operational instructions to the robot system.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a robot system that can improve operability.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, this specification discloses a robot system including: an arm capable of holding a probe of an ultrasound device; a user interface having a plurality of operation input units each associated with a different movement direction in a coordinate system in which the arm moves; and an inversion switching unit; and a control device that moves the arm in the movement direction based on an operation input to the operation input unit of the user interface, and inverts the movement direction associated with each of the plurality of operation input units based on an operation input to the inversion switching unit of the user interface.

[0007] According to the robot system of the present disclosure, the control device reverses the movement direction associated with each of the plurality of operation input units based on an operation input to an inversion switching unit of the user interface. This allows the operator to reverse the movement direction depending on the relative positions of the robot, the target of the probe, and the operator's own position, thereby improving operability for the user.

[0008] 10 is a perspective view of the exterior of a robot system according to this embodiment. A schematic diagram of the robot. A partially enlarged view of a robot including a hand. A partially enlarged view of a robot including a hand. A block diagram showing the electrical connections of the robot system. An explanatory diagram showing the movement direction of an ultrasound probe. An explanatory diagram for explaining the modes that transition from power-on to power-off of the robot system. An explanatory diagram showing an example of an operation mode screen displayed on an operation panel. An explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a patient and a robot in types A to D. An explanatory diagram showing the state of a 90-degree rotation operation of an ultrasound probe. An explanatory diagram showing the correspondence between each operation button of an ESR controller and the movement direction of an ultrasound probe. A diagram showing the state in which the X-axis inversion button is selected in the drawing of FIG. 8. A diagram showing a state in which the operator and robot are operated side by side in type A. A diagram showing a state in which the operator and robot are operated facing each other in type A. A diagram showing the arrangement of an operator, robot, and ultrasound device in another example. A diagram showing echo images, movement directions, and rotation directions in a first posture and a second posture.

[0009] An embodiment of a robot system according to the present disclosure will now be described 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 forward / backward direction will be referred to as the X-axis direction, the left / right direction as the Y-axis direction, and the up / 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 addition, in the Y-axis direction, the left direction is the positive direction and the right direction is the negative direction. In addition, in the Z-axis direction, the upward direction is the positive direction and the downward direction is the negative direction. Note that the definitions of directions and positive / negative signs shown in Figure 6 are only examples.

[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 with both hands by the operator 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 wired connection. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 11 , 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 system 10 configured as above. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the modes that transition from power-on to power-off of the robot system 10. When the robot control device 80 of the robot system 10 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 change 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, 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 then automatically changing the posture of the robot arm 21 according to the selected posture 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 ultrasound probe 101, as a two-dimensional position viewed from a predetermined direction. This function displays registered points on the operation panel 90. The point display allows zooming in and out, viewpoint changes, and other operations via the operation panel 90. The operation panel 90 also displays the operable range of the ultrasound 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 startup mode or registering new points during surgery. For example, in the point sorting process, the robot control device 80 first acquires the posture type of the robot arm 21 relative to the patient in the startup mode. The robot system 10 can set, for example, posture types A to D shown in FIG. 9 .

[0046] 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.

[0047] For example, during posture change in the startup mode, the robot control device 80 displays a screen on the operation panel 90 for selecting one of four types as shown in FIG. 9 , and acquires a posture type based on the selected type. If the acquired posture type is Type A or Type C, the robot control device 80 sorts the registered points in ascending order in the Y-axis direction (from right to left in FIG. 9 ) based on the Y-coordinate value of each point. On the other hand, if the acquired posture type is Type B or Type D, the robot control device 80 sorts the registered points in descending order in the Y-axis direction (from left to right in FIG. 9 ) based on the Y-coordinate value of each point. This allows the registered points to be automatically rearranged so that they are aligned in a 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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. For example, when the robot system 10 is used as an ultrasound echo guide for catheter surgery and a one-dimensional linear type ultrasound probe 101 is used, an echo image of a longitudinal cross section is acquired by aligning the longitudinal axis direction of the ultrasound probe 101 with the direction of extension of the blood vessel. However, when an ultrasound echo image of a transverse cross section (width direction cross section) of the blood vessel is desired to confirm whether the position of the catheter in the blood vessel is not offset from the center of the blood vessel, there are many situations in which the short axis direction of the ultrasound probe 101 is aligned with the direction of extension of the blood vessel. The 90-degree rotation function reproduces this series of operations. Here, rotating the ultrasound probe 101 while it is in contact with the patient may cause discomfort to the patient. For this reason, in this embodiment, when performing a 90-degree rotation, the robot control device 80 temporarily moves the ultrasonic probe 101 away from the patient's body surface, rotates the ultrasonic probe 101 90 degrees around the third rotation axis 53, and then brings the ultrasonic probe 101 into contact with the body surface, as shown in FIG. 10 . When the 90-degree rotation button B11 is touched once, the robot control device 80 rotates the ultrasonic probe 101 90 degrees in the above-described procedure. When the 90-degree rotation button B11 is touched again, the robot control device 80 rotates the ultrasonic probe 101 90 degrees in the opposite direction to return it to its original position in the reverse procedure. The 90-degree rotation function can be executed by operating the push button 925 of the ESR controller 92, in addition to operating the 90-degree rotation button B11. Note that the ultrasonic probe 101 may be rotated in place without being moved away from the patient's body surface during the 90-degree rotation. The rotation angle is not limited to 90 degrees and may be changed to another angle depending on the probe structure, etc.

[0051] 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, and can also be performed by operating the ESR controller 92.

[0052] For example, when the up button of the directional key buttons 921 of the ESR controller 92 shown in Fig. 11 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, it moves to the minus side in the X-axis direction, when the left button is pressed, it moves to the plus side in the Y-axis direction, and when the right button is pressed, it moves 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, it moves to the minus side in the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, when the Y push button 922 is pressed, the robot control device 80 rotates the ultrasonic probe 101 to the plus side in the rotation direction Ra about the Y-axis, and when the A push button 922 is pressed, it rotates to the minus side in the rotation direction Ra. Furthermore, when the B 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 X push button 922 is pressed, the robot control device 80 rotates the ultrasound probe 101 to the minus side in the rotation direction Rb. Note that the arrangement of the A, B, X, and Y buttons 922 shown in FIG. 11 is an example and can be changed as appropriate. Letters and symbols other than A, B, X, and Y may also be used to denote the buttons 922. 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.

[0053] In addition, when the storage position movement button B13 is touched, the robot control device 80 places the robot arm 21 in a folded storage position, and when the origin position movement button B14 is touched, the robot control device 80 places the robot arm 21 in a predetermined origin position.

[0054] The maintenance mode is a mode that can be used only by, for example, maintenance personnel, and allows the user 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 user to change the function allocation of the foot switch 91 and the stop switch 67. 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 the user to change these assignments. Enabling the ESR controller 92 allows the ESR controller 92 to be operated only while the fourth switch 914 is depressed, for example.

[0055] (Regarding Reversal of Operation Direction) As described above, the robot system 10 of this embodiment can operate the ultrasonic probe 101 held by the robot arm 21 along the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, and directions around each axis using the direct teaching switch 61, operation panel 90, ESR controller 92, tablet terminal 93, and foot switch 91. As described above, the holder 602 provided at the tip of the robot arm 21 can be attached in either direction, for example, by flipping the front and back of the linear ultrasonic probe 101. Furthermore, the robot 20 can be freely moved using casters 26 (see FIG. 2 ), allowing its position and orientation to be changed within the operating room. The ultrasound device 100 is also equipped with casters, allowing its position and orientation to be changed. The operator can carry the ESR controller 92 and tablet terminal 93 and operate the robot 20 from a desired direction. For this reason, when operating using the operation panel 90, the ESR controller 92, the tablet terminal 93, etc., there is a possibility that a discrepancy will occur between the direction that the operator intuitively thinks is the direction in which the robot 20 actually moves and the direction in which the robot 20 actually moves, depending on the "orientation in which the ultrasonic probe 101 is attached to the hand unit 60," "the position where the operator stands," "what the operator sees during operation (echo image or the robot main body)," etc. As a result, when the ESR controller 92, etc. is operated, there is a risk that the robot 20 will move in a direction different from the direction intended by the operator.

[0056] Therefore, the robot system 10 of this embodiment also has an inversion function that inverts the association of positive and negative directions for each operation button that commands movement and rotation, with the X-axis and rotation direction Ra and the Y-axis and rotation direction Rb being treated as separate sets. As shown in FIG. 6 , in this embodiment, the rotation direction centered on a direction parallel to the Y-axis direction is defined as the rotation direction Ra (rolling), and the rotation direction centered on a direction parallel to the X-axis direction is defined as the rotation direction Rb (pitching). Then, in the inversion control of the movement direction, the X-axis direction and rotation direction Ra, and the Y-axis direction and rotation direction Rb are paired together. That is, the X-axis direction and the rotation direction around the Y-axis, which is orthogonal to the X-axis direction, are defined as the rotation direction Ra associated with the X-axis direction. Similarly, the Y-axis direction and the rotation direction around the X-axis, which is orthogonal to the Y-axis direction, are defined as the rotation direction Rb associated with the Y-axis direction.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 8 , the operation panel 90 is provided with an X-axis inversion button B15 and a Y-axis inversion button B16. 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). As shown in FIG. 12 , when the X-axis inversion button B15 is touched, the robot control device 80 changes the color of the X-axis inversion button B15 from colorless to a color such as blue, indicating that the button is selected, i.e., inverted. 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). When the Y-axis inversion button B16 is touched, the robot control device 80 changes the color of the Y-axis inversion button B16 to indicate that the button is selected (inverted).

[0058] The above-described types of inversion buttons, inversion directions, and inversion pairs are merely examples. For example, the robot control device 80 may invert both the X axis and the rotation direction Rb around the X axis based on a touch operation of the X-axis inversion button B15, and may invert both the Y axis and the rotation direction Ra around the Y axis based on a touch operation of the Y-axis inversion button B16. The operation panel 90 may also be provided with a Z-axis inversion button that inverts both the Z axis and the rotation direction Rc around the Z axis. The operation panel 90 may also be provided with four inversion buttons that individually invert the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, the rotation direction Ra, and the rotation direction Rb. That is, rather than a button that inverts the X axis and the rotation direction Ra together, buttons for individually inverting them may be provided.

[0059] The robot control device 80 may also perform the above-described inversion control based on an operation on a user interface (such as the foot switch 91, the ESR controller 92, or the tablet terminal 93) other than the operation panel 90. For example, the robot control device 80 may invert the X-axis direction and the rotation direction Ra when the push button 925 of the ESR controller 92 is operated, and may invert the Y-axis direction and the rotation direction Rb when the push button 926 is operated. The inversion control can also be performed by displaying a screen similar to that of the operation panel 90 on the tablet terminal 93.

[0060] Fig. 13 shows, for example, a case where the operator 121 operates the ESR controller 92 alongside the robot 20. The example shown in Fig. 13 is the above-described Type A, in which the operator 121 stands to the left of the patient P, i.e., stands on the same side as the robot 20, and operates the ESR controller 92. In this case, when the right button of the directional key buttons 921 (the button shaded in black in Fig. 13 ) is pressed, the robot control device 80 moves the ultrasonic probe 101 in the negative direction of the Y axis, that is, to the right as seen from the operator 121. Conversely, when the left button of the directional key buttons 921 is pressed, the robot control device 80 moves the ultrasonic probe 101 to the left as seen from the operator 121 (the positive direction of the Y axis). In other words, the orientation of the directional key button 921 as seen from the operator 121 coincides with the direction in which the ultrasonic probe 101 moves when the directional key button 921 is pressed.

[0061] On the other hand, Figure 14 shows a case in which, in Type A, the operator 121 stands on the right side of the patient P, facing the robot 20 in the X-axis direction, and operates the ESR controller 92. When the operator 121 operates the right button of the directional key button 921 (the button shaded in black in Figure 14) in the same direction as seen from the operator's perspective, the ultrasonic probe 101 moves in the negative direction of the Y-axis, i.e., to the left as seen from the operator's perspective, unless inverted. Therefore, the orientation of the directional key button 921 as seen from the operator 121 is opposite to the actual direction in which the ultrasonic probe 101 moves. In response to this, the operator 121 can align the operation direction with the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe 101 by touching the Y-axis inversion button B16. When the Y-axis inversion button B16 is touched to invert the Y-axis direction, the robot control device 80 moves the ultrasound probe 101 in the positive direction of the Y-axis, that is, to the right as seen by the operator 121, based on pressing the right button of the direction key button 921. Conversely, the robot control device 80 moves the ultrasound probe 101 to the left as seen by the operator 121 (the negative direction of the Y-axis), based on pressing the left button of the direction key button 921. This allows the orientation of the direction key button 921 as seen by the operator 121 to coincide with the actual direction in which the ultrasound probe 101 moves.

[0062] Similarly, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, in the X-axis direction, a state occurs in which the orientation of the up and down buttons of the directional key button 921 does not match the direction of movement in the X-axis direction (positive or negative). Although a detailed description will be omitted, in the case shown in Figure 13, when the up button of the directional key button 921 is operated, the ultrasound probe 101 moves in the positive direction of the X-axis direction, moving away from the operator 121. However, in the case shown in Figure 14, when the up button of the directional key button 921 is operated without inversion, the ultrasound probe 101 moves in the positive direction of the X-axis direction, moving closer to the operator 121. Therefore, the operation direction and the movement direction do not match. Therefore, the operator 121 can invert the movement direction of the X-axis by operating the X-axis inversion button B15, thereby matching the operation direction and the movement direction.

[0063] Therefore, the robot control device 80 of this embodiment moves the holding unit 602 (ultrasound probe 101) in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction intersecting the X-axis direction based on an operation input to the directional key buttons 921. The operation panel 90 is provided with an X-axis inversion button B15 for inverting the X-axis direction and a Y-axis inversion button B16 for inverting the Y-axis direction. This allows the operator 121 to individually invert each direction depending on the position where the operator 121 stands during operation, the position of the robot 20, etc.

[0064] The above-described arrangement of the robot 20, the operator 121, the ESR controller 92, and the like is merely an example. For example, FIG. 15 shows another example arrangement. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 15 , the operator 121 stands near the head of the patient P, faces the negative side of the X-axis direction, and operates the ESR controller 92 while checking the image display unit 113 of the ultrasound device 100. In this case, the operator 121 may, for example, touch only the Y-axis inversion button B16 to invert only the Y-axis direction, or may touch both the X-axis inversion button B15 and the Y-axis inversion button B16 to invert both the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Therefore, whether or not the X-axis inversion button B15 and the Y-axis inversion button B16 are operated is appropriately changed depending on the arrangement of the operator 121, the robot 20, and the like. Furthermore, the above description has been given of a case where inversion is performed by operating the ESR controller 92. However, this is not limiting, and inversion can also be performed by operating another user interface (such as a tablet terminal 93).

[0065] Furthermore, the robot control device 80 rotates the holding unit 602 in a rotation direction Rb centered on a direction parallel to the X-axis direction and a rotation direction Ra centered on a direction parallel to the Y-axis direction based on operation inputs to the multiple push buttons 922. The robot control device 80 then reverses the movement direction of the robot arm 21 in the rotation direction Ra as well as the X-axis direction based on a touch operation of the X-axis inversion button B15. The robot control device 80 also reverses the movement direction of the robot arm 21 in the rotation direction Rb as well as the Y-axis direction based on a touch operation of the Y-axis inversion button B16. This allows not only the movement direction but also the associated rotation direction to be reversed simultaneously with a single button operation (touch operation). This prevents incorrect combinations of the movement direction and rotation direction to be reversed. The direction to be reversed based on the touch operation of the X-axis inversion button B15 and the Y-axis inversion button B16 can be appropriately changed depending on the configuration, assembly direction, etc. of the robot system 10. For example, both the X-axis direction and the rotation direction Rb about the X-axis may be reversed based on a touch operation of the X-axis inversion button B15.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 6 , the robot system 10 of this embodiment has a rotation center set so that the holding unit 602 rotates around the center 123 of the tip of the ultrasonic probe 101 held by the holding unit 602. When the robot control device 80 rotates the holding unit 602 in the rotation directions Ra and Rb based on an operation input to the push button 922, the robot control device 80 rotates the holding unit 602 around the center 123. This allows the rotation direction around the center 123 of the ultrasonic probe 101 to be changed when the X-axis inversion button B15 or the Y-axis inversion button B16 is operated. Only the rotation direction can be changed without changing the imaging position of the echo image. The rotation center is not limited to the center 123 of the tip of the ultrasonic probe 101 and may be another position. For example, the rotation center may be an end of the tip of the ultrasonic probe 101 or the center of gravity of the ultrasonic probe 101.

[0067] As described above, the holding unit 602 can be attached to the linear ultrasonic probe 101 in either orientation, for example, by flipping the front and back of the probe. In other words, the holding unit 602 can hold the probe in both a first orientation and a second orientation in which the orientation of the ultrasonic probe 101 is reversed from the first orientation. Specifically, for example, the holding unit 602 can hold the probe in two orientations in which the direction in which ultrasonic transducer elements (such as piezoelectric elements, which may also be called a transducer array) that transmit and receive ultrasonic waves in the linear ultrasonic probe 101 are arranged is reversed by 180 degrees. The direction in which the ultrasonic transducers are arranged is, for example, the Y-axis direction (the longitudinal direction of the ultrasonic probe 101) in the state shown in FIG. 6 .

[0068] For example, the catheter can be inserted straight into the patient P's leg (inserting it in the direction along the leg) or from the opposite leg. Specifically, to perform surgery on the left leg, the catheter can be inserted from the right leg, through the thigh, and then made a U-turn toward the left leg. The surgeon can change the insertion direction to suit the optimal surgical method, and also change the orientation (front and back) of the ultrasound probe 101 attached to the holder 602.

[0069] Fig. 16 shows an echo image 125, as well as the movement direction and rotation direction. The upper diagram in Fig. 16 shows an image captured in the first orientation, and the lower diagram shows an image captured in the second orientation. In the first orientation, the upward direction of the echo image 125 corresponds to the positive direction of the Z axis, the downward direction corresponds to the negative direction of the Z axis, the leftward direction corresponds to the positive direction of the Y axis, and the rightward direction corresponds to the negative direction of the Y axis. Furthermore, the clockwise direction corresponds to the positive rotation direction Rb, and the counterclockwise direction corresponds to the negative rotation direction Rb. The dashed lines in the diagram indicate the position of the blood vessel 127 captured in the echo image 125.

[0070] For example, in the above-described method of inserting the ultrasonic probe 101 straight into the patient P's leg, the ultrasonic probe 101 is attached to the hand unit 60 in the orientation shown in the first orientation in the upper diagram of FIG. 16 . On the other hand, in the above-described method of inserting the ultrasonic probe 101 so that it makes a U-turn, the ultrasonic probe 101 is attached to the hand unit 60 with its front and back sides (orientation) reversed. As a result, the second orientation shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 16 is achieved. In the second orientation, the positive and negative directions of the Y-axis direction relative to the echo image 125 are reversed compared to the first orientation. Furthermore, the positive and negative directions of the rotation direction Rb are also reversed. In this case, when the operator 121 changes the orientation of the ultrasonic probe 101 according to the surgical method, etc., the relationship between the movement direction when the operator 121 operates the directional key button 921, the push button 922, etc. of the ESR controller 92 and the direction in which the echo image 125 changes is changed. In contrast, the robot system 10 of this embodiment is provided with an X-axis inversion button B15 and a Y-axis inversion button B16 that invert the movement direction and the rotation direction. This allows the orientation of the ultrasonic probe 101 to be changed to an appropriate orientation for surgery, and also allows the relationship between the operation direction and the direction in which the echo image 125 changes to be the same before and after the orientation is changed.

[0071] The multiple directional key buttons 921 also include a plus movement button (up button) that commands movement in one direction along the X axis, and a minus movement button (down button) that commands movement in the opposite direction of the up button. The multiple push buttons 922 also include a plus rotation button (Y button) that commands rotation in one direction along the rotation direction Ra around the Y axis, and a minus rotation button (A button) that commands rotation in the opposite direction of the Y button (see FIG. 11 ). The direction in which the up and down buttons of the directional key buttons 921 are aligned on the ESR controller 92 (the up and down direction in FIG. 11 ) is the same as the direction in which the Y and A buttons of the buttons 922 are aligned on the ESR controller 92. This allows the two movement buttons (up and down buttons) and two rotation buttons (Y and A buttons) aligned in the same direction to be simultaneously inverted when the X-axis inversion button B15 is operated. In other words, arranging the inverted pairs (X-Ra) in the same direction on the ESR controller 92 facilitates more intuitive operation. The direction (left and right direction in FIG. 11) in which the two movement buttons (left and right buttons of the directional key button 921) that are inverted when the Y-axis inversion button B16 is operated is also the same as the direction in which the two rotation direction buttons (X and B buttons of the button 922) are arranged.

[0072] For example, in the operation state shown in Fig. 13, when moving in a direction away from the operator 121, the character can be moved by pressing the up button of the directional key button 921. When rotating in a direction away from the operator 121 (forward rotation direction), the character can be rotated by pressing the Y button, which is one of the four push buttons 922 and is located in the same position as the up button of the directional key button 921. Similarly, when moving in a left direction as seen by the operator 121, the character can be moved by pressing the left button of the directional key button 921. When rotating in a left direction as seen by the operator 121, the character can be rotated by pressing the X button, which is one of the four push buttons 922 and is located in the same position as the left button of the directional key button 921. In this way, while maintaining the same direction of movement and rotation as seen by the operator 121, inversion can be performed by pressing the X-axis inversion button B15 or the Y-axis inversion button B16.

[0073] Furthermore, the ESR controller 92 of this embodiment is connected to the robot control device 80 so as to be able to communicate (via wireless communication) with the robot control device 80, for example, at a position on the opposite side of the robot 20 (housing 29) in the X-axis direction, with the patient P sandwiched between them. In this configuration, the operator 121 can operate the ESR controller 92 while facing the robot 20, and can change the operation position depending on the surgical site on the patient P. Furthermore, the direction of operation can be reversed by operating the X-axis inversion button B15 or the like depending on the operation position. In other words, in a robot system 10 in which the ESR controller 92 can be operated from such various positions, it is extremely effective to provide the X-axis inversion button B15 or the like for reversing the direction of operation.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 8 , the robot control device 80 also displays a fine-tuning function button B12 on the same screen as the X-axis inversion button B15 and the Y-axis inversion button B16. A plurality of fine-tuning function buttons B12 are provided, one for each of the positive and negative directions of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, and the positive and negative directions of the rotation directions Ra, Rb, and Rc. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 12 , the robot control device 80 maintains the fixed positions of the plus and minus buttons of the fine-tuning function button B12 before and after at least one of the X-axis inversion button B15 and the Y-axis inversion button B16 is operated to change the movement direction. In other words, the position of each button of the fine-tuning function button B12 is not changed even when the X-axis inversion button B15 or the Y-axis inversion button B16 is touch-operated. This allows the fine-tuning function button B12 to be maintained in its position, allowing only the movement direction to be inverted when the button is operated, when the operation panel 90 (robot system 10) is positioned.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 8 , a registration point display unit 131 is provided in the center of the operation panel 90. The robot control device 80 displays, for example, an image 133 simulating a human body, multiple registration points 135, and a path 137 connecting the multiple registration points 135 on the registration point display unit 131. As described above, the robot control device 80 changes the position of the ultrasonic probe 101 when the operator 121 performs direct teaching by operating the direct teaching switch 61, and stores the changed position of the ultrasonic probe 101 in the memory unit 85 as a registration point 135. The robot control device 80 sorts the stored multiple registration points 135, for example, in ascending order (from negative to positive) in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction, and displays them on the registration point display unit 131. The robot control device 80 may also prioritize the sorting direction. For example, the robot control device 80 first sorts the registered points 135 in ascending order of the Y-axis coordinate, and then, if the Y-axis coordinates are the same, sorts them in ascending order of the X-axis coordinate. If the X-axis coordinates are also the same, the robot control device 80 sorts them in ascending order of the Z-axis coordinates. If all the coordinates are the same, the robot control device 80 may sort them in the order of registration.

[0076] The robot control device 80 sets a path 137 connecting the rearranged registered points 135 and displays it on the registered point display unit 131. The robot control device 80 sets, for example, a direct path connecting two adjacent registered points 135 as the path 137. The path 137 serves as a movement path for moving the ultrasound probe 101. The robot control device 80 moves the ultrasound probe 101 along the path 137 in response to a touch operation of the playback mode button B9, etc. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 12 , the robot control device 80 maintains the orientation of the coordinate system in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction of the registered point display unit 131 displaying the registered points 135 and the path 137 before and after the movement direction is changed by operating at least one of the X-axis inversion button B15 and the Y-axis inversion button B16. That is, the robot control device 80 does not change the orientation (positive or negative) of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in the registered point display unit 131, even when the X-axis inversion button B15, etc. is operated. As a result, when it is desired to reverse the direction of movement according to the position or orientation of the operation panel 90 (robot system 10), it is possible to reverse only the direction of movement while maintaining the display state of the registration point display section 131. As described above, the position and orientation of the display of the fine adjustment function button B12 and the registration point display section 131 are maintained even when the X-axis inversion button B15 or the like is operated, but the display position and orientation may also be changed according to the operation of the X-axis inversion button B15 or the Y-axis inversion button B16.

[0077] 8 , the robot control device 80 displays a 90-degree rotation button B11 on the operation panel 90, which rotates the ultrasound probe 101 by 90 degrees (a predetermined angle in the present disclosure) while maintaining the posture of the robot arm 21. By operating the 90-degree rotation button B11, the echo image 125 acquired by the ultrasound device 100 is changed, for example, between a longitudinal cross-sectional image along the blood vessel 127 and a transverse cross-sectional image perpendicular to the blood vessel 127. Therefore, the imaging direction of the echo image 125 is changed by 90 degrees. Note that the predetermined angle in the present disclosure is not limited to 90 degrees and may be another angle (e.g., 45 degrees).

[0078] The robot control device 80 maintains the movement direction associated with the direction key button 921 of the ESR controller 92 and the fine adjustment function button B12 of the operation panel 90 before and after the 90-degree rotation button B11 is touched to change the orientation of the ultrasound probe 101. In other words, no inversion is performed. This allows the imaging direction to be changed based on the operation of the 90-degree rotation button B11, while maintaining the movement direction when each operation button is operated. For example, to check whether the position of the catheter in the blood vessel 127 has shifted, the operator 121 can switch from a longitudinal to a transverse image while moving the ultrasound probe 101 using the same operation as before the switch. After checking, the operator 121 can return the ultrasound probe 101 to its original state by operating the 90-degree rotation button B11 again. This allows for rapid completion of catheter position confirmation.

[0079] The correspondence between the terms used in this embodiment and the terms used in the claims will be described 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 housing 29 is an example of a robot main body. The robot control device 80 is an example of a control device. The operation panel 90 is an example of a user interface and a touch panel. The foot switch 91 and the tablet terminal 93 are examples of a user interface. The ESR controller 92 is an example of a user interface and an operation controller. The direction key buttons 921, the push buttons 922, the buttons 923, and the buttons 924 are examples of an operation input unit. The up button and the left button of the direction key buttons 921 are examples of a plus movement input unit. The down button and the right button of the direction key buttons 921 are examples of a minus movement input unit. The Y button and the B button of the push button 922 are examples of a plus rotation input unit. The A button and the X button of the push button 922 are examples of a minus rotation input unit. The 90-degree rotation button B11 is an example of a rotation input section. The fine adjustment function button B12 is an example of a plus movement input section and a minus movement input section. The X-axis inversion button B15 and the Y-axis inversion button B16 are examples of an inversion switch section, a first inversion switch section, and a second inversion switch section. The patient P is an example of an object. The rotation directions Ra and Rb are examples of a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction. The X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are examples of a first operation direction and a second operation direction. If the X-axis direction is the first operation direction, the rotation direction Ra is an example of the first rotation direction.

[0080] As described above, the present embodiment provides the following advantages. The operation panel 90, which is one aspect of the present embodiment, has a plurality of directional key buttons 921 associated with different movement directions (X-axis direction, Y-axis direction) in a coordinate system (X-Y coordinates) in which the robot arm 21 moves. The robot control device 80 moves the robot arm 21 in each movement direction based on an operation input to the directional key buttons 921. The robot control device 80 also reverses the movement directions associated with each of the plurality of directional key buttons 921 based on an operation input to the operation panel 90. This allows the operator 121 to reverse the movement direction depending on the relative positions of the robot 20, the patient, the operator himself, and the like. This improves operability for the operator 121.

[0081] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described 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-described embodiment is merely an example. For example, the ESR controller 92 may be configured to be connected to the robot 20 via a wire. In addition, in the above-described examples, the operation input unit, plus movement input unit, minus movement input unit, inversion switching unit, first inversion switching unit, second inversion switching unit, and rotation input unit of the present disclosure are implemented as push buttons or buttons displayed on the operation panel 90 (touch panel), but this is not limiting. For example, buttons displayed on a touch panel may be used as the directional key button 921, and a push button may be used as the 90-degree rotation button B11. Furthermore, the operation input unit, plus movement input unit, minus movement input unit, inversion switching unit, first inversion switching unit, second inversion switching unit, and rotation input unit of the present disclosure may be implemented as user interfaces other than those configured above, such as switches, levers, keys, or other user interfaces capable of inputting instructions. Therefore, the input unit and the switching unit may be configured in various ways to input instructions from the user. 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. The robot 20 may also be configured as a so-called vertical articulated robot or horizontal articulated robot. In the above embodiment, the first and second movement directions of the present disclosure are the X-axis and Y-axis directions, which are orthogonal to each other. However, this is not limited to this. The angle between the X-axis and Y-axis directions is not limited to 90 degrees, and may be any other angle. Therefore, the angle at which the first and second movement directions of the present disclosure intersect is not limited to 90 degrees.

[0082] The screen configuration of the operation panel 90 shown in Figure 8 is an example. For example, each button (fine-tuning function button B12 and X-axis inversion button B15) displayed on the operation panel 90 may be displayed on a separate screen rather than on the same screen. Furthermore, the ultrasound device disclosed herein 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.

[0083] 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 6 where "the robot according to claim 3" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 3 to 5." It also discloses a technical idea in claim 7 where "the robot according to claim 1 or claim 2" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6." It also discloses a technical idea in claim 8 where "the robot according to claim 2" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 2 to 7." It also discloses a technical idea in claim 10 where "the robot according to claim 1 or claim 2" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 1 to 9." It also discloses a technical idea in claim 11 where "the robot according to claim 1 or claim 2" is changed to "the robot according to any one of claims 1 to 10."

[0084] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present disclosure is applicable to the robot manufacturing industry and the like.

[0085] 10 Robot system, 21 Robot arm (arm), 29 Housing (robot main body), 80 Robot control device (control device), 90 Operation panel (user interface, touch panel), 85 Memory unit, 91 Foot switch (user interface), 92 ESR controller (user interface, operation controller), 93 Tablet terminal (user interface), 100 Ultrasound device, 101 Ultrasound probe (probe), 125 Echo image, 135 Registered point, 137 Path, 602 Holding unit, 921 Direction key button (operation input unit), 922 Push button (operation input unit), 923 Button (operation input unit), 924 Button (operation input unit), B11 90 degree rotation button (rotation input unit), B12 Fine adjustment function button (plus movement input unit, minus movement input unit), B15 X-axis inversion button (inversion switching unit, first inversion switching unit, second inversion switching unit), B16 Y-axis inversion button (inversion switch unit, first inversion switch unit, second inversion switch unit), P patient (object), Ra, Rb rotation direction (first rotation direction, second rotation direction).

Claims

1. A robot system comprising: an arm capable of holding a probe of an ultrasound device; a user interface having a plurality of operation input units each associated with a different movement direction in a coordinate system in which the arm moves and an inversion switching unit; and a control device that moves the arm in the movement direction based on an operation input to the operation input unit of the user interface, and inverts the movement direction associated with each of the plurality of operation input units based on an operation input to the inversion switching unit of the user interface.

2. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the arm has a holding portion that holds the probe, the control device controls the arm based on an operation input to the operation input unit to operate the holding portion in a first operating direction and a second operating direction intersecting the first operating direction, and the user interface has a first inversion switching unit that is the inversion switching unit that inverts the operating direction of the holding portion in the first operating direction, and a second inversion switching unit that is the inversion switching unit that inverts the operating direction of the holding portion in the second operating direction.

3. The robot system of claim 2, wherein the control device rotates the holding unit in a first rotation direction centered on a direction parallel to the first operating direction and in a second rotation direction centered on a direction parallel to the second operating direction based on an operation input to the operation input unit, and inverts the operating direction of the arm in the first rotation direction or the second rotation direction in addition to the first operating direction based on an operation input to the first inversion switching unit.

4. The robot system described in claim 3, wherein the control device reverses the movement direction of the arm in the second rotation direction in addition to the first movement direction based on an operation input to the first inversion switching unit, and reverses the movement direction of the arm in the first rotation direction in addition to the second movement direction based on an operation input to the second inversion switching unit.

5. The robot system according to claim 4, wherein the user interface has an operation controller having a plurality of the operation input units, the plurality of operation input units having a plus movement input unit that gives an instruction to move in one direction in the first operating direction, a minus movement input unit that gives an instruction to move in the opposite direction to the plus movement input unit in the first operating direction, a plus rotation input unit that gives an instruction to rotate in one direction in the second rotation direction, and a minus rotation input unit that gives an instruction to rotate in the opposite direction to the plus rotation input unit in the second rotation direction, and a direction in which the plus movement input unit and the minus movement input unit are arranged in the operation controller is the same as a direction in which the plus rotation input unit and the minus rotation input unit are arranged in the operation controller.

6. The robot system of claim 3, wherein the control device, when operating the holding part in the first rotation direction and the second rotation direction based on an operation input to the operation input unit, rotates the holding part around the tip of the probe as a center of rotation.

7. A robot system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a robot main body that holds the arm and is provided with the control device, wherein the user interface has an operation controller having the operation input unit, and the operation controller is communicatively connected to the control device at a position opposite the robot main body, with an object to be imaged by the ultrasonic device between them.

8. The robot system of claim 2, wherein the user interface has a touch panel having the operation input unit, and the control device displays on the touch panel the first inversion switching unit, the second inversion switching unit, a plus movement input unit that instructs moving in one direction in the first operating direction, and a minus movement input unit that instructs moving in the opposite direction to the plus movement input unit in the first operating direction, and maintains the positions at which the plus movement input unit and the minus movement input unit are displayed before and after at least one of the first inversion switching unit and the second inversion switching unit is operated to change the operating direction.

9. The robot system of claim 8, wherein the control device changes a position of the probe in response to an operation by an operator, stores the changed position of the probe in a memory unit as a registered point, arranges the stored registered points based on the coordinates of the first movement direction and displays them on the touch panel, displays a path connecting the registered points and along which the probe is moved on the touch panel, and maintains the orientation of the coordinate system of the first movement direction and the second movement direction displaying the registered points and the path before and after at least one of the first inversion switching unit and the second inversion switching unit is operated to change the movement direction.

10. A robot system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the user interface has a rotation input unit that rotates the probe held by the arm by a predetermined angle and changes the imaging direction of the echo image acquired by the ultrasound device, and the control device maintains the movement direction associated with each of the multiple operation input units before and after the rotation input unit is operated to change the orientation of the probe.

11. A robot system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the arm is provided with a holding portion for holding the probe, and the holding portion is capable of holding the probe in both a first posture and a second posture in which the orientation of the probe is reversed from the first posture.

Images