A force transmission transmits forces received by three levers to an input gimbal plate having three support points. The input gimbal play may in turn transmit the force to a wrist assembly coupled to a surgical tool. The three axes of rotation for the three levers are parallel. Two of the levers may have half-cylinder surfaces at an end of the lever to receive a support point of the input gimbal plate. Two of the levers may be supported with one degree of rotational freedom orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the fulcrum. A spring may draw the second and third levers toward one another. Two levers may have stops that bear against the support points. The force transmission may include a parallelogram linkage that includes a rocker link pivotally coupled to the first lever and having a flat surface that supports the first gimbal support point.

An electronic device may include a shaft insertable into a target area, and an electronic component configured to generate a signal. The electronic component may be on or within the shaft. The electronic device may also include at least one antenna on or within the shaft. The electronic device may also include a receiver operatively coupled to the antenna. The receiver may monitor an electrical characteristic of the antenna to identify an effect of an electromagnetic field on the electrical characteristic of the antenna. The electronic device may also include a processor communicatively coupled to the receiver. At least one of the receiver and the processor may predict an effect of the electromagnetic field on the signal generated by the electronic component, based at least in part on the effect of the electromagnetic field on the electrical characteristic of the antenna.

A passive bending section for an endoscope is disposed between an active bending section of an inserting section and a flexible tube of the inserting section and is passively bent by receiving an external force. In the passive bending section, a curvature gradually increases from the distal end portion of the passive bending section toward the proximal end portion of the passive bending section.

An endoscopic probe which advances within a lumen having a central valve unit. The valve unit has a central bore defining a proximal end and a distal end, and at least one valve for controlling the introduction and withdrawal of fluid into the central bore. The probe further includes a sliding tubular sheath movably disposed inside the central valve unit, and a flexible sleeve, impermeable to the fluid and sealingly anchored to the central valve unit on both distal proximal ends. The sleeve is folded over to cover both the inside and outside of the sheath to sealingly envelop the sheath and contain the fluid, together with said valve unit, while allowing sliding of the sheath. A method for providing, assembling and operating the probe is also provided.

An endoscope including: a bending portion; a first traction member and a second traction member that causes the bending portion to bend; a first rotary member that pulls the first traction member; a first plate member on which the first rotary member and the first traction member are disposed; a first protrusion; a first positioning part that comes into contact with the first rotary member; a second rotary member that pulls the second traction member; a second plate member; a second protrusion; and a second positioning part that comes into contact with the second rotary member.

A flexible tube includes a first outer layer covering an outer side of a closely-wound region; a second outer layer forming a second flexible portion which is more difficult to bend than the first flexible portion; a third outer layer covering an outer side of the sparsely-wound region, and forming a third flexible portion which is as difficult to bend as the second flexible portion, or more difficult to bend than the second flexible portion; and a fourth outer layer arranged consecutively between the second and third outer layers to cover the outer side of a boundary position of the closely-wound region and the sparsely-wound region, and reducing a difference in bending difficulty/bending easiness at the boundary position.

A manipulator and a manipulator system adjust the initial tension easily yet unerringly during assembling. The manipulator includes a main unit, an elongated portion that extends from the main unit, a distal end that is connected to the elongated portion, a wire for transmission of power for putting the distal end into actuation, a drive unit for generation of power to the wire, a rotary unit which is located in the main unit, around which the wire is wound and which is rotated by the drive unit, and an elastic unit for connecting the wire to the rotary unit.

An endoscope includes: an insertion section inserted into a subject; an operating unit continuously connected to a proximal end of the insertion section; an observation unit disposed at a distal end of the insertion section, and configured to observe the subject; a treatment instrument insertion passage configured to allow insertion of a treatment instrument providing medical treatment to the subject, and project the treatment instrument from a distal end portion of the insertion section; a distal bending portion disposed at a distal end of the treatment instrument insertion passage, and configured to bend according to a raising operation of the operating unit, the distal bending portion including a tube including a super elastic alloy and including a slit formed to reduce power required for the bending operation, and being configured to raise the treatment instrument; and a coating portion provided to cover the distal bending portion.

An endolumenal robotic system provides the surgeon with the ability to drive a robotically-driven endoscopic device to a desired anatomical position in a patient without the need for awkward motions and positions, while also enjoying improved image quality from a digital camera mounted on the endoscopic device.

An optical unit 1 includes a voice coil motor 10 which can relatively move a movable part 3 with respect to a fixed part 2 in the axis C direction by using a coil 11 arranged on the fixed part 2 and a magnet 12 arranged on the movable part 3, wherein the movable part 3 includes a movable-side sliding surface which can slide over an inner periphery of the fixed part 2, and a distance L1 from a position closest to an object side to a position closest to an image side of the movable-side sliding surface in the axis C direction of the movable part 3 is greater than a distance from an emission surface of the object-side fixed lens group Gf held by the fixed part 2 to an incident surface of the image-side fixed lens group Gb held by the fixed part 2.