The smart glove is capable of tracking their finger and hand movements during supervised rehabilitation exercises, according to Dr. Janice Eng, a leading stroke rehabilitation specialist and professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia. The gloves contain a sophisticated network of very sensitive sensor yarns and pressure sensors that are woven into a comfortable stretchy fabric, and this is what enables it to track, capture, and wirelessly transmit the smallest of movements.
“With this glove, we can monitor patients’ hand and finger movements without the need for cameras. We can then analyze and fine-tune their exercise programs for the best possible results, even remotely,” says Dr. Eng.
“This is the most accurate glove we know of that can track hand and finger movement and grasping force without requiring motion-capture cameras. Thanks to machine learning models we developed, the glove can accurately determine the angles of all finger joints and the wrist as they move. The technology is highly precise and fast, capable of detecting small stretches and pressures and predicting movement with at least 99-per-cent accuracy — matching the performance of costly motion-capture cameras,” said UBC electrical and computer engineering professor Dr. Peyman Servati.
Unlike other products, this glove is not only comfortable but it is also wireless and it can easily be washed after removing the battery. Dr. Servati believes that this glove can transition seamlessly into the consumer market with ongoing improvements in collaboration with different industrial partners. The team also foresees potential applications in virtual reality, augmented reality, animation, and in robotics.
“Imagine being able to accurately capture hand movements and interactions with objects and have it automatically display on a screen. There are endless applications. You can type text without needing a physical keyboard, control a robot, or translate American Sign Language into written speech in real time, providing easier communication for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.”
