Digital Flight Gloves

ABSTRACT: This program will develop lightweight, comfortable, instrumented flight gloves which enable the wearer to communicate via electronic messages that capture and represent gestures and actions made using the hands and arms. This capability allows for typing reports, issuing commands, and conveying other information by moving the fingers and arms in the air. Gestures can be used to produce symbols representing communications on a flight deck, or symbols which annotate the real world by creating geo-registered icons. Hand motions can be used to actuate equipment controls, replacing currently used keys, switches and buttons. BENEFIT: The digital gloves will enable people to communicate naturally using the hands and arms. Gestures and commands will be translated into electronic format and transmitted to a computer or communication network. As a general purpose interface, it can be used to communicate in environments with high noise levels or obscured sight lines, control computer systems or equipment, and allow finger or hand pointing to generate an input to digital systems.