This document summarizes research on developing stretchable sensors for wireless gesture recognition. Key points: - Sensors were created using a stretchable elastomer composite and integrated into a glove to detect hand gestures through resistance changes as the glove is flexed and stretched. - The sensors were able to accurately recognize 26 letters of the alphabet through a selection algorithm analyzing the unique resistance patterns from different gestures. - Additional hardware was used to transmit sensor data wirelessly via Bluetooth to a phone where the gestures were interpreted. - Testing showed the sensors maintained consistent performance over 1,000 bending cycles and could accurately transmit gestures in real-time.

1. Flow of Information: Wireless Signal Transmission High Mechanical Resilience
Rosetta Stone and Letter Selection Algorithm
Stretchable Sensors
Lipomi Lab darrenlipomi.com
The Language of Glove: Stretchable Sensors
for Wireless Gesture Recognition
Rachel Miller, Timothy F. O’Connor, Matt Fach, Samuel Root, Patrick Mercier†, Darren J. Lipomi*
†Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego
*Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego
Exploded view of sensor
111111100 111111100
19 out of 26 letters
Additional hardware
required:
Strain induced by the knuckle
Figure 3: Sensors
undergoing strain on glove
Figure 4:
Resistance vs. Stress vs
Strain
during stretching
Figure 6: Letter selection algorithm
Figure 7: Hand gesture interpretation
sent to phone via Bluetooth
7c 7d
Figure 9a: Consistent waveform over time
Figure 9b: At large values of time an increase in gauge factor
SEM imaging
8b
9a 9b
10a 10b
Figure 10a: DAG characterization Figure 10b: Sensor cross section
Figure 1: Functional prototype
Figure 2: Sensor layer thicknesses:
PU: 200 μm Carbon elastomer: 50 μm
PDMS: 340 μm
Resistance increases as
the sensor is stretched
Exploded view of sensor
Thumb
Index Proximal
Middle Metacarpal
Middle Proximal
Ring Proximal
Ring Metacarpal
Pinky Metacarpal
Pinky Proximal
Index Metacarpal
1000 bending cycles
Figure 8a, 8b: Resistance over time and cycles both on glove-
mounted and linear actuator mounted samples