Wired glove

The data glove is an input device in the form of a glove. By movements of the hand and fingers done an orientation in the virtual space. They are used mostly in combination with a data helmet. Data gloves offer today in addition to the function of the navigation and orientation through the virtual space of the function of sensing and sensing ( tactile feedback) of an object and analyzes the experiences of force feedback ( force feedback ).

Historical development

The first data glove developed by Dr. G. Grimes AT & T Bell Labs in 1983., The Digital Data Entry Glove consisted of a glove, bend sensors on the fingers, touch sensors on the fingertips and sensors for position in space. In 1984, the two colleagues from Atari, Thomas Zimmermann and Jaron Lanier, the company VPL Research. The idea of Thomas Zimmermann, playing guitar like Jimi Hendrix but without a physical instrument, was the motivation of VPL to develop a data glove. 1985 mandated the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) VPL Research to build a data glove for astronauts. The VPL Dataglove 1986 was the first commercial data glove, it cost around $ 9000.

The movements and inflections of the individual fingers of the hand are measured by optical waveguide on the back of the hand. There are two cables for each finger (other than the thumb). One runs to the first finger joint, the second ends on the second joint. The cable each run in a loop from the control unit to the fingers and back. At one end of each cable is sent via an LED light in the cable. At the other end of the incoming light intensity is measured by a photocell and converted into detectable electrical signals. Can visualize the finger movements of the hand These signals then the computer.

The VPL patent was soon bought by Mattel to bring the 1989 Power Glove for Nintendo game console Nintendo Entertainment System ( NES) by 100 dollars on the market. Meanwhile, the Power Glove is no longer manufactured, but instructions for the conversion of the Power Glove for using the data glove through a serial interface are circulating today on various internet sites.

The demand for a data glove for consumers was so great that the company " Essential Reality " in 2000 began to develop the Power Glove with aktuellerem expertise. In October 2002, the P5 Glove was presented on the market. As a standard, a USB interface and currently costs about $ 50. Therefore, the P5 Glove is often bought and used by virtual reality researchers, musicians and players.