Robot device and method for operating arm

Abstract

A robot device includes an arm holding a probe of an ultrasonic diagnostic device and a force sensor provided on the arm, supports a manual operation of the probe by an operator based on a signal from the force sensor, operates the arm to automatically operate the probe based on an instruction of the operator, and includes a storage device and a control device. The storage device stores a position and a posture of the probe for each point among multiple random points by the manual operation. The control device interpolates a trajectory between the multiple points stored in the storage device, and operates the arm such that the probe moves along the trajectory in the automatic operation and can stop at a desired position between the multiple points based on the instruction of the operator.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.