WASHINGTON: Researchers have designed a new glove that allows your hands to function as a wireless keyboard.
Researchers from the University of Alabama said instead of tapping keys on a keyboard, the user simply touches their thumb to certain points on their fingers which are assigned a letter or other keyboard function.
Conductive thread carries the commands to a matchbox-sized Printed Circuit Board (PCB) affixed to the back of the glove.
The PCB transmits it via Bluetooth, whether it's a computer, a mobile phone, music synthesizer, video game or military device.
Gauntlet works as a touch screen by tapping your fingers to your thumb on a gloved hand.
Four senior engineering students at UAH made the glove their senior design project for a computer engineering class led by Dr B Earl Wells.
The students -- Jiake Liu, Stephen Dond, Douglas Kirby and Chris Heath - are now seeking a patent to market the product.
"It's basically a keyboard on your hand. You, by tapping your thumb on each segment of your fingers, type to the screen basically. And you can do a swiping gesture that would erase it," Lui said.
Gauntlet is an acronym for Generally Accessible Universal Nomadic Tactile Low-power Electronic Typist. That's a lengthy description of what essentially is a glove with a beehive of conductive threads running throughout the fingers and palm.
"There are several applications we can think of right now. The easy one would be as a keyboard for the consumer market," Liu said.
"Also, the medical field for people limited to one hand from a disability. We can also think of military uses, as an entertainment device or used as a musical instrument for digital synthesising," Liu said in a statement.
Dr Emil Jovanov, associate dean for Graduate Education and Research in the UAH College of Engineering, commended the students for their innovation.
"It is a perfect example of how you take an original idea, find your niche and complete the whole idea," Jovanov said.
Researchers from the University of Alabama said instead of tapping keys on a keyboard, the user simply touches their thumb to certain points on their fingers which are assigned a letter or other keyboard function.
Conductive thread carries the commands to a matchbox-sized Printed Circuit Board (PCB) affixed to the back of the glove.
The PCB transmits it via Bluetooth, whether it's a computer, a mobile phone, music synthesizer, video game or military device.
Gauntlet works as a touch screen by tapping your fingers to your thumb on a gloved hand.
Four senior engineering students at UAH made the glove their senior design project for a computer engineering class led by Dr B Earl Wells.
The students -- Jiake Liu, Stephen Dond, Douglas Kirby and Chris Heath - are now seeking a patent to market the product.
"It's basically a keyboard on your hand. You, by tapping your thumb on each segment of your fingers, type to the screen basically. And you can do a swiping gesture that would erase it," Lui said.
Gauntlet is an acronym for Generally Accessible Universal Nomadic Tactile Low-power Electronic Typist. That's a lengthy description of what essentially is a glove with a beehive of conductive threads running throughout the fingers and palm.
"There are several applications we can think of right now. The easy one would be as a keyboard for the consumer market," Liu said.
"Also, the medical field for people limited to one hand from a disability. We can also think of military uses, as an entertainment device or used as a musical instrument for digital synthesising," Liu said in a statement.
Dr Emil Jovanov, associate dean for Graduate Education and Research in the UAH College of Engineering, commended the students for their innovation.
"It is a perfect example of how you take an original idea, find your niche and complete the whole idea," Jovanov said.
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