PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately control a manipulator at the tip of an insertion part even if the insertion part is curved intricately.SOLUTION: A manipulator system comprises: a soft insertion part 10； a manipulator 6 having a joint part which is driven at the tip of the insertion part 10； a drive part 7 for driving the joint part of the manipulator 6 at the base end side of the insertion part 10； a shape estimation part for estimating a shape of the insertion part 10； and a control part for controlling the drive part 7 based on the shape of the insertion part 10 estimated by the shape estimation part. The shape estimation part comprises: a plurality of detection objects 14 which are disposed in the insertion part 10 at intervals in a longitudinal direction of the insertion part 10； a position detection part 15 for detecting three-dimensional positions of the detection objects 14； and a shape calculation part for calculating the shape of the insertion part 10 by dividing the insertion part 10 into a plurality of sections SS arranged in the longitudinal direction based on the three-dimensional positions of the detection objects 14, which are detected by the position detection part 15.COPYRIGHT: (C)2015,JPO&INPIT【課題】挿入部が複雑に湾曲した場合においても先端のマニピュレータを精度よく制御する。【解決手段】軟性の挿入部１０と、挿入部１０の先端において駆動される関節部を有するマニピュレータ６と、挿入部１０の基端側においてマニピュレータ６の関節部を駆動する駆動部７と、挿入部１０の形状を推定する形状推定部と、形状推定部により推定された挿入部１０の形状に基づいて、駆動部７を制御する制御部とを備え、形状推定部が、挿入部１０にその長手方向に間隔をあけて複数配置された被検出体１４と、被検出体１４の３次元位置を検出する位置検出部１５と、位置検出部１５により検出された被検出体１４の３次元位置に基づいて、挿入部１０の形状をその長手方向に並ぶ複数のセクションＳＳに分けて算出する形状算出部とを備えるマニピュレータシステムを提供する。【選択図】図２
