PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope apparatus with improved operability realized by facilitated insertability into a tract.SOLUTION: An endoscope apparatus 1 comprises: a multi-segmented insertion part which is inserted into a tract a state quantity calculation unit 63 which calculates a segment state quantity for each segment a plurality of rigidity variation elements 723 adapted to make the flexural rigidity of each segment variable a starting segment specification unit 64 which on the basis of the state quantity of each segment, specifies a range the segments in which are changed in their flexural rigidity or specifies a starting segment from which the changing of flexural rigidity begins and a motion control unit 66 which operates each of the plurality of rigidity variation elements 723 and changes the flexural rigidities of their respective segments. The motion control unit 66 sets the range the segments in which are changed in their flexural rigidity or the flexural rigidities of a plurality of segments on the basis of the starting segment and reduces the flexural rigidities of two or more adjacent segments of the plurality of segments on the basis of the set range of segments or the set flexural rigidities.COPYRIGHT: (C)2016,JPO&INPIT【課題】管路への挿入を容易とし操作性を向上することができる内視鏡装置を提供する。【解決手段】内視鏡装置1は、複数のセグメントを有し管路に挿入される挿入部と、セグメントの状態量をセグメント毎に算出する状態量算出部63と、セグメント毎の曲げ剛性をそれぞれ可変とする複数の硬度可変素子723と、セグメント毎の状態量に基づいて、曲げ剛性を変化させるセグメントの範囲又は曲げ剛性を設定する起点となるセグメントを特定する起点特定部64と、複数の硬度可変素子723をそれぞれ動作させ、複数のセグメントの曲げ剛性をそれぞれ変化させる動作制御部66とを備える。動作制御部66は、起点となるセグメントに基づいて曲げ剛性を変化させるセグメントの範囲又は複数のセグメントの曲げ剛性を設定し、当該設定したセグメントの範囲又は曲げ剛性に基づいて複数のセグメントのうち2つ以上の連設されたセグメントの曲げ剛性を低下させる。【選択図】図4
