Medical manipulator and control method of medical manipulator

1. A medical manipulator comprising:

an insertion section configured to be inserted into a body, the insertion section comprising:

a main movable mechanism configured to be controlled to move a distal end of the insertion section;

a first manipulator comprising:

a treatment device; and

a first joint configured to be controlled to move the treatment device with respect to the distal end of the insertion section with at least one degree of freedom;

a second manipulator comprising:

an image sensor configured to acquire an image in a field-of-vision range; and

a second joint configured to be controlled to move the image sensor with respect to the distal end of the insertion section;

an input device configured to receive a user input and to output an instruction that specifies a position to which the treatment device is to be moved; and

a controller configured to:

determine whether a movement control to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction is:

a first type of movement control in which only controlling the first joint to move the treatment device without controlling the main movable mechanism to move the distal end of the insertion section is sufficient to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction; or

a second type of movement control in which both of controlling the first joint and controlling the main movable mechanism is required, to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction; and

when the controller determines that the first type of movement control is sufficient, the controller is configured to control only the first joint to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction; and

when the controller determines that the second type of movement control is required, the controller is configured to:

control the first joint and the main movable mechanism to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction; and

control the second joint to move the image sensor such that a target area of a test object is projected in a predetermined reference area that forms a portion of the image.

2. The medical manipulator according to claim 1 ,

wherein a proximal end of the of the first manipulator is attached to the distal end of the insertion section, and

wherein the first joint is arranged to be closer to the proximal end of the first manipulator than the treatment device.

3. The medical manipulator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the insertion section defines a channel that has an opening at the distal end of the insertion section, and

wherein the first manipulator is configured to be advanced through the channel and past the opening, and retracted past the opening and through the channel.

4. The medical manipulator according to claim 1 ,

wherein when the controller determines that the second type of movement control is required, the controller is configured to:

determine a movement amount of the first joint; and

control the second joint to move the image sensor according to the movement amount of the first joint determined.

5. The medical manipulator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the controller is configured to set one or more of a size and a shape of the predetermined reference area.

6. The medical manipulator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the input device is configured to receive an instruction specifying the target area, and

wherein the controller is configured to set the target area of the test object based on the instruction specifying the target area received by the input device.

7. The medical manipulator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the input device is configured to receive a confirmation input and to output a confirmation instruction, and

wherein the controller is configured to set a portion of the test object projected to a center of the image as the target area in response to the confirmation instruction.

8. The medical manipulator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the input device is configured to receive a changeover user input and to output a changeover instruction, and

wherein when the controller determines that the second type of movement control is required, the controller is configured to:

control the first joint and the main movable mechanism to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction;

determine whether a changeover instruction has been output by the input device; and

when the controller determines that the changeover instruction has been output by the input device, control the second joint to move the image sensor such that the target area of the test object is projected in to the predetermined reference area that forms a portion of the image.

9. The medical manipulator according to claim 1 ,

wherein when the controller determines that the second type of movement control is required, the controller is configured to control the second joint to move the image sensor according to the image in the field-of-vision range.

10. The medical manipulator according to claim 1 ,

wherein the input device is configured to output the instruction that specifies the position to which the treatment device is to be moved and an orientation to which the treatment device is to be oriented, and

wherein when the controller determines that the second type of movement control is required, the controller is configured to:

control the first joint and the main movable mechanism to move the treatment device to the position and the orientation specified in the instruction; and

control the second joint to move the image sensor such that the target area of the test object is projected in the predetermined reference area that forms a portion of the image.

11. A method for controlling a medical manipulator, the medical manipulator comprising:

an insertion section configured to be inserted into a body, the insertion section comprising:

a main movable mechanism configured to be controlled to move a distal end of the insertion section;

a first manipulator comprising:

a treatment device; and

a first joint configured to be controlled to move the treatment device with respect to the distal end of the insertion section with at least one degree of freedom;

a second manipulator comprising:

an image sensor configured to acquire an image in a field-of-vision range; and

a second joint configured to be controlled to move the image sensor with respect to the distal end of the insertion section; and

an input device configured to receive a user input and to output an instruction that specifies a position to which the treatment device is to be moved,

wherein the method comprises:

determining, by a controller, whether a movement control to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction is:

a first type of movement control in which only controlling the first joint to move the treatment device without controlling the main movable mechanism to move the distal end of the insertion section is sufficient to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction; or

a second type of movement control in which both of controlling the first joint and controlling the main movable mechanism is required, to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction; and

when the first type of movement control is determined to be sufficient, controlling, by the controller, only the first joint to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction; and

when the second type of movement control is determined to be required:

controlling, by the controller, the first joint and the main movable mechanism to move the treatment device to the position specified in the instruction; and

controlling, by the controller, the second joint to move the image sensor such that a target area of a test object is projected in a predetermined reference area that forms a portion of the image.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

when the second type of movement control is determined to be required:

determining, by the controller, a movement amount of the first joint; and

controlling, by the controller, the second joint to move the image sensor according to the movement amount of the first joint determined.