| abstract |
A medical manipulator (20) has a base member (21), a stage (22) constructed to hold a medical instrument, and actuators (23) for connecting the base member and the stage together. At least one of the actuators includes at least one deformation member. The at least one deformation member is deformed according to the amount of energy applied to the member. The at least one actuator extends and retracts in its longitudinal direction according to the deformation of the at least one deformation member. This enables positioning of a general-purpose medical instrument such as a laparoscope. Also, the medical manipulator reduces a space that a manipulator device occupies during its operation. |