> I have been tasked with doing a conceptual design for a device
>  that tracks finger movement using a sensor device mounted to
> the finger.  Does anyone have experience with this or something
> similar?  Or thoughts or ideas?  For now, I only have to worry
> about one finger - but need to track position in 3 dimensions
> with a resolution of about 5mm over an area of 1 cubic meter.
>  Also, the device cannot use a reflective method (such as ir or
> ultrasonic).    So far, I have investigated using accelerometer
> chips, but these are still fairly expensive and I would like a
> lower-cost alternative.

I'm not certain this is a feasible project within the parameters given.
Particularly, the fact that you're feeling accelerometers are too
costlly gives me pause.  If you can't handle US$6-12 per finger,
which is the cost of many MEMS accelerometers these days, you
are not likely to find a non-reflective method for tracking ten fingers
for less than that.

That said, I believe one of the ways VR gloves do their thing is by
using strain-sensitive or flex-sensitive resistors to measure the
degree to which the fingers are bent.  Not sure that's what you need.

Are you trying to track the tip of the finger, then, or the whole finger,
so that a model of the finger can be reconstructed later?

Mike H.
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