Robot arm apparatus, robot arm control method, and program

22:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 21, wherein
• the malfunction of the joint unit is detected based on a torque generated in the joint unit in response to a pressing force imparted to an external object due to contact by the arm unit, and
• the driving control unit controls the driving of the joint unit and drives the arm unit in a state in which the pressing force is restricted to a certain range with respect to the motion of the arm unit.

23:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 22, wherein
• the pressing force is a force imparted to the external object by a front edge unit provided on a front edge of the arm unit.

24:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:
• a sensor that detects a force acting on the front edge unit, wherein
• the malfunction of the joint unit is detected based on a torque generated in the joint unit in response to the force acting on the front edge unit, and the force detected by the sensor.

25:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 21, wherein
• the malfunction of the joint unit is detected based on a rotational angle of the joint unit, and
• the driving control unit controls the driving of the joint unit and drives the arm unit in a state in which the rotational angle of the joint unit is restricted to a certain range with respect to the motion of the arm unit.

26:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 21, wherein
• the malfunction of the joint unit is detected based on a rotational angular velocity of the joint unit, and
• the driving control unit controls the driving of the joint unit and drives the arm unit in a state in which the rotational angular velocity of the joint unit is restricted to a certain range with respect to the motion of the arm unit.

27:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 21, wherein
• the joint unit includes a joint state detecting unit that detects a state of the joint, and
• the malfunction of the joint unit is determined based on the state of the joint unit detected by the joint state detecting unit.

28:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 27, wherein
• the state of the joint unit includes at least one of a rotational angle of a motor, a rotational angle of an output shaft, a torque of the output shaft, a current supplied to the motor, and an ambient temperature of the motor in an actuator provided for driving the joint unit.

30:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 21, wherein
• the driving control unit controls driving of the joint unit based on a state of the arm unit acquired based on a plurality of detected states of the joint unit.

31:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 30, wherein
• the driving control unit controls the driving of the joint unit based on the state of the arm unit and a control value for cooperative control of the arm unit, the control value being based on a purpose of motion and a constraint condition of the arm unit.

32:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 31, wherein
• the control value is computed based on a virtual force which is an imaginary force acting to achieve the purpose of motion in an operation space describing a relationship between a force acting on the arm unit and an acceleration produced in the arm unit, and also based on an actual force computed by converting the virtual force into a real force for driving the joint unit based on the constraint condition.

33:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 31, wherein
• the driving control unit controls driving of the joint unit based on a command value computed by correcting influence of a disturbance on the control value.

34:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 33, wherein
• the command value is computed by correcting the control value using a disturbance estimation value expressing influence of a disturbance on driving of the joint unit estimated based on a detected state of the joint unit.

35:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 31, wherein
• the driving control unit controls the driving of the joint unit to produce a force compensating for gravity acting on the arm unit, and also a force that supports movement of the arm unit in a direction of a force additionally imparted from outside.

36:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 31, wherein
• the driving control unit controls the driving of the joint unit in a manner that a front edge unit provided on a front edge of the arm unit performs a pivot operation of moving over a surface of a cone for which a certain point in real space serves as an apex of the cone.

37:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 36, wherein
• in the pivot operation, a distance between the front edge unit and the certain point is kept constant.

38:

• The medical support arm apparatus according to claim 21, wherein
• the medical support arm apparatus is a support arm apparatus, in which at least one medical tool is provided on the arm unit.