Development of a Programmable Digital Glove

We present a programmable digital glove aimed to assist the handicapped aphasiacs. Other than being mechanically simple, economic, and robust, it is capable of fine-tuning the motion range and sensitivity to meet real needs among patients through manipulating the optical flux and the topology of the glove. When further equipped with a letter input matrix system, it allows much faster letter keying. In fact, the invented glove can instantly bring great improvement on their communication skill and thus reinstate their life anew, so long as they still possess barely movable and bendable fingers. It is foreseeable that, those hindered by speech problems, especially those also with physical disabilities, may also be the further beneficiaries to this evolving technology as it will become a new viable tool for communication, in addition to sign language.