A More In-Depth Methodology

If you've read the previous post and was wondering what I was talking about, I have a more detailed description here.

To start off, my capstone project involves a data glove. For all the non tech savy readers, a data glove is simply a glove like input device used with virtual reality environments. The whole point of me making this data glove is to eliminate the use of a mouse and keyboard as predominant input devices in the future of computing.

Things you may need to pursue such a project:
A glove
An interface for communicating between peripherals
A method of tracking the user's orientation
A method of stimulation (actuators, heating elements, etc.)


For the purpose of my capstone, I am using the Arduino Diecimila microcontroller to communicate between the glove and my computer. I am using pager motors as a stimulating element and infrared light emitting diodes along with two web cameras as a means of tracking the user's position. A simple program is written in Processing.

How it works:
Two web cameras are placed at ninety degrees to each other, both facing the user. If you were the user, try to picture one camera facing you head on while the other camera was facing you from your right.

The glove is affixed with tiny motors and infrared(IR) lights. Since IR is not visible to the naked eye, you wouldn't be able to see it being lit up, however the cameras are able to see the light and use them as a reference point for tracking your hand movement.

As of now, Processing draws primitives (boxes/spheres/planes) and moves a virtual camera as it corresponds to your hand. Given an instance, where you collide with an obstacle in this virtual world, a hitTest function is triggered which basically talks to the glove, via the microcontroller and starts vibrating.

Users are able to distinguish sizes (test results show) between objects just by tactile feedback alone. I am in the process of implementing functionality for users to be able to distinguish shapes as well.