The Keyglove is a very flexible and powerful device. Most of the features listed below are already working, though a few are still under development to add them in or improve their performance. This self-contained device really can do a lot! It is more capable than any other similar commercial or prototype device in existence that I am aware of. See below for an outline of some of the most promising market segments.

Keyglove Features

  • Touch Control
    • Touch-based full keyboard input
    • Completely customizable touch configuration and behavior
    • Touch-and-hold modifier key capability
    • Shortcut key combinations (e.g. Ctrl+Alt+F1)
    • Batch entries (e.g. one touch to send full words at once)
  • Motion Control
    • Motion-based full mouse control
    • Gesture control for mouse and/or keyboard commands
    • 3D spatial input for representing motion and position in a 3D environment
    • Multiple motion-based mouse control methods
    • Rotational and linear motional detection
  • Feedback
    • Vibration feedback
    • Audible tone feedback
    • Visual feedback (RGB LED to indicate status, mode, success/failure)
  • Device Compatibility
    • Automatic application-specific profile switching based on active programs
    • Windows, Mac, and Linux support
    • Smartphone and tablet input support with Bluetooth
    • Supports most Android phones, iPhone, iPad, and PS3
  • Interface
    • Standard mini-USB connection for charging and configuration
    • Standard HID protocols for simple driverless OS cross-compatibility (USB and Bluetooth)
    • Bluetooth wireless connection (future Bluetooth Low Energy technology support)
    • Rechargeable Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery for wireless operation
    • Serial communication protocol for extendable functionality and complete device control
  • Physical Construction
    • Wearable glove form factor
    • Single-hand or double-hand configuration
    • Left-handed and right-handed versions
    • Breathable, washable glove unit
    • Removable controller board for easy glove replacement
    • Removable wireless daughter card for future upgradeability
    • Comfortable conductive fabric touch sensors also work on touch screens

If you have questions about any of these features, or you’d like to see other features added in, feel free to send a message at any time or post it in the forum. Not everything is a good fit for the Keyglove’s design, but I love hearing new ideas.

Ideal Markets

  • Wearable computing:
    This technology is just starting to take off, pushed forward in large part by Google Glass and competitors (proof-of-concept with Glass already successful). If your display was a translucent projection in your glasses, and your computer was in your pocket, wouldn’t you want a self-contained wireless input device that you didn’t have to hold or look at?

  • Gaming:
    If you find yourself using a custom keyboard commands to do things in the games you play, the Keyglove is the perfect device to allow the same control with much less effort and much more efficiency. Anything you can do with a keyboard can be done with a Keyglove , and the Keyglove adds motion control and immediate availability—you’ll never need to find the right position on the keyboard again, since your keyboard is fitted to your fingers!

  • Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets:
    Some people can get by with miniaturized QWERTY hardware or on-screen keyboards—in fact, some people can use them with amazing dexterity and accuracy. Others aren’t so devoted to learning the skill. The Keyglove can act as a wireless input device for most smartphones and tablets, negating the need to use the other, sometimes difficult input options.

  • 3D spatial or VR interfacing:
    Because the Keyglove has motion-sensing capabilities, it can be used where special 3D control is necessary or helpful. This may include CAD software or other modeling, navigation, and basic telepresence remote control.

  • Specialized device control in extreme or industrial situations:
    The Keyglove can be a simple, no-eyes-required input device that is easy to keep track of (since you’d be wearing it!) and hard to lose, perfect for high-activity or dangerous areas where a regular keyboard and mouse wouldn’t survive intact for long.

  • Unique artistic creativity:
    We’re used to traditional interfaces for art and music. What if you could use motion and touch for a creative outlet for your artistic side? Much the same way that recent touch-based interfaces have allowed for a new way to create art and music using tablets, the Keyglove can provide a new way to turn your imagination into something tangible.

  • Handicapped, disabled, or limited-mobility users:
    Some people only have the use of one of their hands, or they can’t manage the motions necessary for typing on a regular keyboard or using a regular mouse. The Keyglove’s design is such that it can overcome many of these problems and give some computer control back to people who have lost it.