The hand is also covered with some fabric so that it looks a bit more appealing.

Today also included, building a pedestal for placing the silicon hand onto. We also finished a CD cover to our CD with the software on it. We are a bit disappointed with not getting it to work exactly as we wanted it to, but at the same time very happy of the fact that the bend sensors are working nearly to perfection again. The day also included choosing a spot for the exhibition.

Tomorrow includes some final things for setting up the presentation, and doing a final check on the glove.

The main problem has been to get the tilt sensor to work without any problems. We think that we are having a problem with the power to the tilt sensor, because every time we connect the tilt sensor, we get strange values.

When starting today our bend sensors worked, but after been trying out different solutions with the tilt sensor, suddenly the bend sensors didn’t work. Because of this we had to go back to trying out the bend sensors again. Before, when sending different keystrokes we were sending two keystrokes combined in one. The solution that we got to work just recently was to press only one keystroke at the time. We also changed which keystroke we were sending.

Today we also found out that the silicon hand that we made yesterday needs another day to get dry.

We have also discussed different ways to make the glove look a bit more appealing, and came up with the idée that we will probably cut two glows apart and combine them into one. This will aloe us to make a cover for the prototype.

Hope tomorrow is a happier day for us!

int thumbPin = 1;	// Analog pin for thumb bend sensor.
int indexPin = 2;	// Analog pin for index finger bend sensor.
int longPin  = 3;	// Analog pin for long finger bend sensor.
int ringPin  = 4;	// Analog pin for ring finger bend sensor.
int pinkyPin = 5;	// Analog pin for pinky finger bend sensor.

int switchPin1 = 8;	// Digital pin for switch E0.
int switchPin2 = 9;	// Digital pin for switch E1.
int switchPin3 = 10;	// Digital pin for switch E2.
int switchPin4 = 11;	// Digital pin for switch E3.

int tiltPin = 7;	// Digital pin for tilt sensor.

int state      = 0;	// Variable for reading state of tilt sensor.
int oldState   = 0;	// Variable for remembering last state of tilt sensor.
int lastChange = 0;	// Variable for time when state of tilt sensor last changed.
int lastNudge  = 0;	// Variable for time when last nudge was sent.
int diffChange = 0;	// Variable for how long ago state of tilt sensor changed.
int diffNudge  = 0;	// Variable for how long ago last nudge was sent.

int thumbVal = 0;	// Variable for analog value of thumb bend sensor.
int indexVal = 0;	// Variable for analog value of index finger bend sensor.
int longVal  = 0;	// Variable for analog value of long finger bend sensor.
int ringVal  = 0;	// Variable for analog value of ring finger bend sensor.
int pinkyVal = 0;	// Variable for analog value of pinky finger bend sensor.

boolean thumbB = false;		// Boolean telling if thumb is bent.
boolean indexB = false;		// Boolean telling if index finger is bent.
boolean longB  = false;		// Boolean telling if long finger is bent.
boolean ringB  = false;		// Boolean telling if ring finger is bent.
boolean pinkyB = false;		// Boolean telling if pinky finger is bent.

int gesture = 0;	// Variable for telling what gesture is active (which fingers are bent?).

boolean needReset = false;	// Boolean telling if fingers need to be reset to
				// be able to send new gestures.
void setup() {			// SETUP
  pinMode(thumbPin, INPUT);	// Set thumbPin as a INPUT pin.
  pinMode(indexPin, INPUT);	// Set indexPin as a INPUT pin.
  pinMode(longPin, INPUT);	// Set longPin as a INPUT pin.
  pinMode(ringPin, INPUT);	// Set ringPin as a INPUT pin.
  pinMode(pinkyPin, INPUT);	// Set pinkyPin as a INPUT pin.

  pinMode(switchPin1, OUTPUT);	// Set switchPin1 as a OUTPUT pin.
  pinMode(switchPin2, OUTPUT);	// Set switchPin2 as a OUTPUT pin.
  pinMode(switchPin3, OUTPUT);	// Set switchPin3 as a OUTPUT pin.
  pinMode(switchPin4, OUTPUT);	// Set switchPin4 as a OUTPUT pin.

  pinMode(tiltPin, INPUT);	// Set tiltPin as a INPUT pin.

  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop(){				// LOOP
  if(!needReset){			// If there's no need for a reset of fingers.
    resetValues();			// Calls resetValues()-method.
    gesture = getGesture();		// Calls getGesture()-method and saves the value.

    if(gesture == 1){			// If gesture equals thumbs up.
      digitalWrite(switchPin1, HIGH);	// Send CTRL key stroke.
      digitalWrite(switchPin2, HIGH);	// Send § key stroke.
    } else if(gesture == 2){		// If gesture equals f you.
      digitalWrite(switchPin1, HIGH);	// Send CTRL key stroke.
      digitalWrite(switchPin3, HIGH);	// Send . key stroke.
    } else if(gesture == 3){		// If gesture equals shake.
      digitalWrite(switchPin1, HIGH);	// Send CTRL key stroke.
      digitalWrite(switchPin4, HIGH);	// Send ' key stroke.
    }

    Serial.print(gesture);
  } else{
    while(needReset){                        // As long as there's a need for a reset of fingers.
      if(!thumbB && !indexB && !longB && !ringB && !pinky){// If no fingers are bent.
        needReset = false;                   // There's no need for a reset of fingers anymore.
      }
    }
  }
}

void resetValues(){			// RESET VALUES
  digitalWrite(switchPin1, LOW);	// Sets all the switchPins to LOW to keep the switches open.
  digitalWrite(switchPin2, LOW);	// When set to HIGH a switch closes and completes the
  digitalWrite(switchPin3, LOW);	// circuit for sending a keystroke to the computer.
  digitalWrite(switchPin4, LOW);

  thumbVal = analogRead(thumbPin);	// Reads analog value of thumb bend sensor.
  indexVal = analogRead(indexPin);	// Reads analog value of index finger bend sensor.
  longVal  = analogRead(longPin);	// Reads analog value of long finger bend sensor.
  ringVal  = analogRead(ringVal);	// Reads analog value of ring finger bend sensor.
  pinkyVal = analogRead(pinkyVal);	// Reads analog value of pinky finger bend sensor.

  state = digitalRead(tiltPin);		// Reads state of tilt sensor

  thumbB = false;        	// Boolean telling if thumb is bent.
  indexB = false;               // Boolean telling if index finger is bent.
  longB  = false;               // Boolean telling if long finger is bent.
  ringB  = false;               // Boolean telling if ring finger is bent.
  pinkyB = false;               // Boolean telling if pinky finger is bent.
}

int getGesture(){               // GET GESTURE
  int temp = 0;                 // Temporary variable
				// The following values are not the one's we're going to use.
  if(thumbVal < 500){           // If thumb bend sensor value is less than 500.
    thumbB = true;              // Thumb is bent.
  }
  if(indexVal < 500){           // If index finger bend sensor value is less than 500.
    indexB = true;              // Index finger is bent.
  }
  if(longVal < 500){            // If long finger bend sensor value is less than 500.
    longB = true;               // Long finger is bent.
  }
  if(ringVal < 500){            // If ring finger bend sensor value is less than 500.
    ringB = true;               // Ring finger is bent.
  }
  if(pinkyVal  2000 && diffChange  0 && temp < 4){   // If temp is 1, 2 or 3
    needReset = true;                                // Fingers need to be reset before next gesture.
  }

  oldState = state;		// Saves current state of tilt sensor as old state.

  return temp;			// Returns the gesture value back to the loop.
}

The next thing we were able to get to work perfectly was the bend sensors. We have also been working hard with trying to get the switch between the keyboard card and the arduino to work, but we were not able to manage it. Because of this we booked a meeting with our advisor tomorrow.

Today we also talked about different solutions for building the glove prototype, the discussion included material, attachment solutions and hiding as much electronics as possible.

All in all it has been a day filled with more ups than downs.

 The bend sensors are working better since we soldered the wires to small pieces of brass (as seen on the pictures below).

We have also drilled holes in the computer keyboard circuit board and soldered on wires so we can connect it to a switch.  

Homemade bend sensors:

ITSI DIY

Poetryhand bend sensor