Everything works better with an accelerometer. Â Even gloves.
The Acceleglove sports one motion-detecting accelerometer on each finger, sending feedback to an attached databoard that can interface with a computer. It comes with its own open-source SDK, so you can program any application that you want to work with your hands.
Developed by AnthroTronix, a company based in Silver Spring, MD, the Acceleglove can track the wearer’s hand movements across a 3D space, registering them on the computer. Current drivers can recognize simple movements such as the opening and closing of your hands, and pinching. Users can also opt to ditch it and program their own more advanced versions, taking raw data from the glove and processing it themselves.
What exactly can you do with it? Provided you’re willing to do the work, you can use it as an accessory control for your computer (a glove mouse remote for your HTPC?), a motion source for robot software or any other application you can dream up. Add a wireless module, for instance, and you can come up with more interesting ways to use it than a hacked Wiimote.
MIT Tech Review claims the $500 Acceleglove is the most affordable of its kind, with similar gear usually selling for $5,000 or more. If you have halfway decent programming skills and the inclination to use them, this should keep you busy for a good amount of time.
[Technology Review via PopSci]