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This story is from the category Sensors
Date posted: 29/04/2008 Some U.S. soldiers in Iraq are already equipped with wearable computer systems. But the lack of efficient input devices restricts their use to safer environments, such as the interior of a Humvee or a base station, where the soldier can set down his weapon and use the keyboard or mouse tethered to his body. Now RallyPoint, a startup based in Cambridge, MA, has developed a sensor-embedded glove that allows the soldier to easily view and navigate digital maps, activate radio communications, and send commands without having to take his or her hand off his or her weapon. For soldiers carrying a plethora of equipment, finding and using electronic controls on their bodies can be awkward, says Forrest Liau, the president and cofounder of RallyPoint. "We wanted to make a device that would have all the necessary components in a combat-ready way," he says. The Natick Soldier Systems Center in Natick, MA, has a contract with RallyPoint and is currently testing a prototype of the glove, called a Handwear Computer Input Device (HCID), for use with its electronic systems. The glove has four push-button sensors sewn into its pinky finger, fourth finger, middle finger and index finger, as well as a fifth sensor also on the middle finger that can act like a computer mouse. Embedded in the backhand area are three accelerometers. The sensors are used to activate radio communications, view and navigate electronic maps, and send commands. The glove is connected to the computer by a USB cord. See the full Story via external site: www.technologyreview.com Most recent stories in this category (Sensors): 22/05/2013: New study finds blind people have the potential to u se their ‘inner bat’ to locate objects |
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