A microprocessor scans through each of the 10 detectors in turn and takes a light reading. As the light intensity diminishes, the processor records more bend. After the whole hand has been read, the real fun begins. Calculating the angle of each joint requires knowing a lot about the physical nature of the hand and the makeup of the optical sensors. The microprocessor in the DataGlove controller takes care of managing that model and performing the needed computations.
Precise measurements require that the fibers line up properly over the joint.
The fibers, sewn onto the back of each finger, collect at the base of the glove on the back of the hand, as shown in photo 1. A separate unit, the size of a pocket calculator, houses the light source and sensors. A computer interface manages the scanning of the sensors and the communications with the host computer. The DataGlove uses a standard RS-232C serial port, which makes it compatible with most computers. Now the computer can tell what the fingers are doing.