Digital Flight Gloves

ABSTRACT: SA Photonics has developed an innovative Digital Flight Glove system that has the following advantages over current data glove technologies: Multi user Smart Glove networks that can share gesture and sensor information wirelessly with each other, multiple sensor technologies for increased gesture and tracking ability, optional platform GPS along with MEMs based sensors for tracking, and tactile feedback for gesture and status feedback. This Digital Smart Glove system will also allow advanced features such as: Information sharing between users in an operating environment, auto Login of a user to a system through personally keyed data flight gloves, uploading/downloading of mission data, and remote login of gloves to another user display or HMD. The SA Photonics Digital Smart Glove system will reduce the need for annunciator panel switches and buttons as well as alarm status feedback in warfighters. The sensor suite will allow accurate gesture recognition needed for complex tasks such as virtual typing. Response times and user reactions can also be monitored in case studies. The SA Photonics Digital Smart Glove System will be the digital flight glove system for the warfighter of the future. BENEFIT: There are multiple benefits to the Air Force in having a Digital Flight Glove system aboard warfighters. These benefits include: 1) Decreased reaction times of pilots due to status/alarm conditions being physically interfaced to the users hands. 2) Decreased reaction times due to less physical movement involved when activating switches and buttons on annunciator panels. 3) Improved portability when needing to write reports. 4) Increased ground to air communication with optional geo-tagging of mission critical information showing friend/foe targets. 5) Increased focus on activities happening outside of the cockpit. 6) Analysis possible of reaction times and pilot hand/finger movement during training and mission flights. In the commercial sector, the digital flight glove system could be used to study reaction times of users engaging in complex tasks, physical therapy, or gaming applications. The precise and accurate glove system can be used as a measurement device in numerous applications.