Data glove
The data glove is an input device in the form of a glove. Orientation in virtual space takes place through movements of the hand and fingers . It is usually used in combination with a data helmet . In addition to the function of navigation and orientation through virtual space, data gloves now also offer the function of touching and feeling ( tactile feedback ) an object and the ability to experience force feedback .
Historical development
The first data glove was developed by Dr. G. Grimes of AT&T Bells Labs in 1983. The Digital Data Entry Glove consisted of a glove, flex sensors on the fingers, tactile sensors on the fingertips, and sensors for position in space. In 1984 Atari's two colleagues, Thomas Zimmermann and Jaron Lanier , founded VPL Research. Thomas Zimmermann's idea of playing the guitar like Jimi Hendrix but without a physical instrument was the motivation for VPL to develop a data glove. In 1985 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) commissioned VPL Research to build a data glove for astronauts. The VPL Dataglove was the first commercial data glove in 1986, costing around $ 9,000.
The movements and flexions of the individual fingers of the hand are measured by optical fibers on the back of the hand. There are two cables for each finger (except for the thumb). One runs to the first finger joint, the second ends at the second joint. The cables each run in a loop from the control unit to the fingers and back. A light emitting diode at one end of each cable sends light into the cable. At the other end, the incoming light intensity is measured by a photo cell and converted into definable electrical signals. The computer can then use these signals to visualize the finger movements of the hand.
The VPL patent was soon bought by Mattel to launch the Power Glove for Nintendo's Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game console for $ 100 in 1989 . The Power Glove is no longer manufactured, but instructions for converting the Power Glove to use the data glove via a serial interface are still circulating on various websites today.
The demand for a data glove for consumers was so great that the company "Essential Reality" began to further develop the Power Glove in 2000 with more up-to-date know-how. In October 2002 the P5 Glove was presented on the market. It comes standard with a USB interface and currently costs around $ 50. Therefore, the P5 Glove is often bought and used by virtual reality researchers, musicians and even gamers.
Web links
- Wiki with information about the P5 (English)