Patent ID: 7295893

Claim:
A manipulator operative in a master/slave operative mode, comprising: a master unit commanding an operation; a slave unit having a work unit; a first detector detecting the first position of the master unit; a second detector detecting the second position of the slave unit; and a control device configured to control the slave unit in response to the command from the master unit, wherein the control device includes: a function of determining a non-master/slave operative mode or a master/slave operative mode; a function of calculating a difference between the first position of the master unit and the second position of the slave unit; and a function of comparing the absolute value of the difference with a preset reference value, and depending upon the result of the comparison, determining a normal master/slave operative mode or a transitional master/slave operative mode, in said master/slave operative mode, where said transitional master/slave operative mode is a transitional mode from the non-master/slave operative mode to the master/slave operative mode.