PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a three-dimensional shape detection method for a long flexible member that simultaneously achieves detection accuracy and responsiveness.SOLUTION: A three-dimensional shape detection method for a long flexible member includes: an acquisition step of acquiring signals from multiple fiber Bragg gratings provided at the long flexible member and a three-dimensional shape calculation step of calculating a three-dimensional shape of the long flexible member on the basis of the signals acquired in the acquisition step. In the acquisition step, the signals are acquired after being thinned out temporally with respect to a prescribed portion of the long flexible member by using the fiber Bragg gratings to limit a wavelength band to be scanned, or in the three-dimensional shape calculation step, the temporal thinning-out processing is applied to the signals acquired from a sensor that is provided at the prescribed part of the long flexible member among multiple sensors.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】検出精度と応答性とを両立させた長尺可撓部材の三次元形状検出方法を提供すること。【解決手段】長尺可撓部材に設けられた複数のファイバブラッググレーティングからの信号を取得する取得ステップと、この取得ステップにおいて取得した信号に基づいて長尺可撓部材の三次元形状を算出する三次元形状算出ステップとを有し、上記取得ステップでは、ファイバブラッググレーティングによりスキャンする波長帯域を制限することにより、長尺可撓部材の所定部位について時間的に間引いて信号を取得する、又は上記三次元形状演算ステップでは、複数のセンサのうち長尺可撓部材の所定部位に設けられたセンサにより取得した信号について時間的な間引き処理を行う長尺可撓部材の三次元形状検出方法である。【選択図】図1
