Forgive me for not providing a more complete description.  The intended
applicaton is a type of "virtual keyboard".  For now, I need to simulate,
using a finger-mounted sensor, the action of reaching out and touching a key
with one finger.  And then be able to track the finger as it is lifted and
moved to another key. This will eventually be expanded to 10 fingers.   I
located some information on the sensors you mentioned - these could be used
to determine if the finger is bent (i.e pressing a key), but that still
leaves the problem of locating the finger in space.  BTW, $6-12 per finger
is not a show-stopper - I would just like to do it for less if possible.

Thanks,

Randy

> > 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.
> --
> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
>

-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist