[sci.virtual-worlds] Safety in Datagloves

cphoenix@csli.Stanford.EDU (Chris Phoenix) (08/29/90)

In article <138900002@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu> klw11037@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
>True that user safety is a major concern. 
>...
>I don't know about the voltages involved in controlling electro-rheologics.
>I'll try to find out.

I've heard several people say that it was important to not have any 
electricity in the DataGlove, for safety reasons.  What exactly are 
the safety concerns?  That the user won't be hurt if a wire grounds
through his arm, or that the user won't sue if the wire grounds through
his arm?  There's lots of things you can do with low voltage or low
current.  Even several thousand volts can be made safe if you keep the
system's capacitance small enough.  And at 6 volts you can use as much
current as you want until the wires get too inflexible.