Performance input apparatus

A performance input apparatus comprising:

• a base section;
• an operating section displaceable, in response to operation by a human operator, relative to said base section with respect to at least one displacement axis, said at least one displacement axis including a linear-displacement axis along which said operating section is linearly displaceable;
• a pivot section including a rotary shaft rotatable about a predetermined pivot axis and a mechanism that transforms rotary movement of said rotary shaft into linear movement along said linear-displacement axis;
• a detection section that detects displacement corresponding to linear movement of said operating section along said linear-displacement axis, responsive to the operation by the human operator, for at least one parameter selected from a group of parameters including a position, angle, velocity and acceleration, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the detected parameter;
• a reactive force information generation section that generates reactive force information on the basis of the detection signal outputted by said detection section;
• a rotary driver that drives the rotary shaft of said pivot section on the basis of the reactive force information so that said mechanism of said pivot section transforms the rotational movement of said rotary shaft into linear movement along said linear-displacement axis of said operating section to thereby impart a linear reactive force to said operating section;
• and
• an output section that outputs a control signal responsive to the operation, by the human operator, of said operating section on the basis of the detection signal outputted by said detection section.