[comp.cog-eng] dataglove

raymond@eurtrx.UUCP (Raymond van Beekum) (06/14/89)

Recently I have heard of the existence of an input device called the
DataGlove. Unfortunately I have not found any information about this new
device. So, can someone tell me what a DataGlove is, how it works, and
where I can find a reference to a paper dealing with the DataGlove.

Raymond van Beekum
Rotterdam School of Management
room FB-29
Erasmus University
P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR  Rotterdam
The Netherlands

E-mail: raymond@eurail.uucp     (or raymond@eurtrx.uucp)

lrbartram@watcgl.waterloo.edu (lyn bartram) (06/14/89)

In article <397@eurtrx.UUCP> raymond@eurtrx.UUCP (Raymond van Beekum) writes:
>Recently I have heard of the existence of an input device called the
>DataGlove. Unfortunately I have not found any information about this new
>device. So, can someone tell me what a DataGlove is, how it works, and
>where I can find a reference to a paper dealing with the DataGlove.
>
	The DataGlove was demonstrated at the CHI+GI '87 conference and one
or two papers presented on it.  Look at the ACM SIGCHI Proceedings of the
conference.

gordon@idca.tds.PHILIPS.nl (Gordon Booman) (06/14/89)

In article <397@eurtrx.UUCP> raymond@eurtrx.UUCP (Raymond van Beekum) writes:
>... So, can someone tell me what a DataGlove is, how it works, and
>where I can find a reference to a paper dealing with the DataGlove.
>...

A DataGlove is an input device that reports the position and orientation
of your hand and the relative positions of your fingers.  It uses
directional antennas to determine the position and orientation, and
it has fiber optics along the fingers which leak light when bent;
they measure the leakage to determine the finger position.

It costs about $10K per glove.  It has an RS-232 interface, so
it can be used with any computer - you just have to write the
software to handle it ;-).  They have some programs for the Mac.

There is an article about user interfaces in the October 1987 (?)
Scientific American which discusses the DataGlove.  It's easy to
recognize the issue; the DataGlove is on the cover.  The article
is by Foley.  The article discusses some research done at NASA Ames
involving DataGloves and helmet-mounted stereo displays to create
"virtual reality" - i.e., the computer generates a 3D picture with
your hands in it; the computer generated objects respond to what
your hands do.  Amazing possibilities.

The DataGlove is also displayed in the most recent National Geographic,
and has appeared in virtually every Mac magazine at one time or another.

It is manufactured by VPL Research in Redwood City, California.

Regards,
-- 
Gordon Booman  SSP/V3   Philips TDS Apeldoorn, The Netherlands   +31 55 432785
domain: gordon@idca.tds.philips.nl             uucp:  ...!mcvax!philapd!gordon

klee@gilroy.pa.dec.com (Ken Lee) (06/15/89)

> Recently I have heard of the existence of an input device called the
> DataGlove.

Sorry, I don't have the specific references with me right now, but I
think articles on the DataGlove were published in the ACM CHI'87
proceedings and Scientific American (around Oct., 1987, reprinted in
their 1988 special issue on computing).  The glove was designed by VPL
of Redwood City, California.  The work may have been part of NASA's
virtual environment project.

Ken Lee
DEC Western Software Laboratory, Palo Alto, Calif.
Internet: klee@decwrl.dec.com
Uucp: uunet!decwrl!klee

demers@m2.SRC.Honeywell.COM (Robert DeMers) (06/15/89)

I was going to email this but I thought that others might want to know.
The dataglove is a computer interface device that uses a glove to control a
virtual hand on the screen.  It is made by VPL Research Inc.

Optical fibres sense the angle of each joint of the fingers.  The hand's
position is detected by a Polhemus sensor mounted on the back of the glove.
Moving your hand allows you to manipulate objects on the screen. 

It was developed with NASA as part of their virtual environment work.  NASA
combines it with a stereo-vision system.  VPL is currently working on
fingertip vibration pads to provide a kind-of force feedback.  

Both right and left hand gloves are available, and both can be used at the
same time.  VPL currently supports the IBM PC and the Macintosh.  They also
have a product called the Datasuit, which senses several body joint angles.
I dont know if the suit is on the market yet.  A one glove system sells for
about $10k.

Company address:

VPL Rsearch Inc.
656 Bair Island Road, Suite 304
Redwood City, CA 94063
(415)361-1710

Reference Articles:

"Telepresence master glove controller for dexterous robotic end effectors"
Scott Fisher, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035
Proceedings of SPIE, vol. 726, 28-31 October 1986

Computer Design magazine
March 1, 1988

The Sciences
November/December 1987

Computer Graphics World
January, 1988

Scientific American
October, 1987

I hope that this helps.

Bob DeMers

Disclaimer: I do not work for VPL.  This data is the result of an
investigation into interface devices.