For humans to work closely with robots, robots must be able to register the position of humans very accurately. Not only does this enable true cooperation, it also prevents accidents. A new glove developed by Germany's Saarland University offers this possibility.
The new glove contains a very thin flexible material that functions as a sensor. This material is integrated into the glove and maps the exact position of a user's hand and fingers. "By creating a direct connection between the virtual and physical worlds, man and machine can literally work hand in hand," the university writes in a press release.
Users are not inconvenienced
The smart glove has been developed by a team of researchers led by professor Stefan Seelecke. The researchers have developed a lightweight, thin and flexible material composed of elastic polymer. This material can serve as a sensor, replacing traditional sensors or cameras, which are relatively large. If this material is integrated with a glove, users do not notice they are wearing the material and are not hindered in their work, according to the researchers.
"The material we use is known as a dielectric elastomer. The glove essentially functions as a flexible sensor," Seelecke explains. An electronically conductive material is printed on two sides of the elastomer. If this material is then put under tension, electrostatic forces are created which cause the material to be flattened. This gives the material a larger surface area, changing its electrical capacity.
Linking capacity to positions
Recording these changes makes it possible to use the material as a sensor. "We can link an exact electrical capacity to a specific position of the material," explains Steffen Hau, a member of Seelecke's research team. By collecting these values in a control unit and analysing them on a computer, it is possible to map the exact position of the hand and fingers.
Saarland University's smart glove (photo by: Oliver Dietze)
The smart glove is still under development. In the near future, the researchers' plans include making the glove communicate directly with its user using haptic feedback, such as pulsing signals or vibrations detectable with the fingers. "A computer can then, for example, send a pulsing signal to the user's fingers to indicate that a wrong component has been picked up, or conversely a vibrating signal to confirm that it is the right component," Hau said.
Demonstrated in April
The researchers will show a prototype of the smart glove at the Hannover Messe in April, where Saarland University will be present with its own stand. At the fair, the researchers are also looking for partners who want to contribute to the further development of the glove.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Saarland University
