Low-Cost Self-Calibration Data Glove Based on Space-Division Multiplexed Flexible Optical Fiber Sensor.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Robotics
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Wearable devices, particularly data gloves, have seen significant growth.
• Development of flexible sensors with fast response, high sensitivity, and stability is crucial for intelligent data gloves.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a tractable, low-cost flexible data glove with self-calibration.
• To utilize a space-division multiplexed flexible optical fiber sensor for enhanced performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a flexible silicone rubber fiber using a simple, stable, and economical method.
• Development of a stretchable double-layered coaxial cylinder sensor.
• Integration of a signal detection system with self-calibration for real-time data acquisition.

Main Results:

• The optical fiber sensor demonstrated insensitivity to temperature variations (20-50 °C).
• The sensor exhibited excellent flexibility and high stability under tensile, bending, and torsional stress.
• The data glove accurately recognized gestures and guided a manipulator, showing self-adaptability to hand size and bending habits.

Conclusions:

• The proposed data glove is low-cost, fast-responding, and structurally robust.
• Potential applications include sign language recognition, telemedicine, and human-robot interaction.
• The self-calibration function enhances data acquisition accuracy and device adaptability.