DIY Glove Controller With E-Textile Sensors

This Instructable is a step by step tutorial on how to make a data glove with eTextile sensors.

The project is a collaboration between Rachel Freire and Artyom Maxim. Rachel is the glove textile and eTextile sensor designer and Arty designs the circuits and software. In this Instructable Arty will be making the glove textile, following Rachel's instructions to test our tutorial.

There is a full list of materials with links in the next step and the .PDF pattern can be downloaded in the third step

The glove was designed with VR in mind, but can be used for any number of applications which sense the movement of the fingers. The range of the sensors is not huge, and because we are using textile sensors, their readings will vary for each glove made.

This is the simplest version of the glove using stretch resistive fabric as the sensors. They are connected using wires and the circuit is on a breadboard.

To see more wok-in-progress images, go to our Flickr album here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rachelfreirestudio/...

MATERIALS:


1. Fabric

- glove: Two-way stretch fabric such as lycra. I am using Eurojersey Sensitive Touch as it is a super fine micro knit, so very flat and good for layering with bonding materials --> http://www.sensitivefabrics.it 
- cuff: 2.5mm neoprene
2. Bonding material
Bemis Sewfree fusing (stretch bonding film) http://www.extremtextil.de/catalog/Sewfree-elasti...
3. Conductive Materials

- Sensors: Eeonyx resistive stretch material: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14112


- Conductive thread: I am using Elitex, though any good conductive thread will do. There is an amazing list here: http://www.kobakant.at/DIY/?p=379

4. Electronics

-insulated silicone wire (30 gauge): https://www.daburn.com/2615-Ultra-Flexible-Silicone-Rubber-Wire-UL-3132.aspx I use this because it is super flexible, but any wire will work well, such as the ribbon cable in the pictures

-jewellery wire (for sewing loops)

-male pin headers connectors: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/116

-shrinktube

TOOLS: 


Sewing:

- sewing machine 

- dressmakers scissors 

- tiny sharp scissors 

- rotary cutter (optional)

- iron
- hand sewing needles 

- strong thread
- dressmakers pins

- fabric pen, gel pen or chalk

- fray check https://jaycotts.co.uk/products/fray-check#.Wi_lQ0tpHMU

Connectors:

- soldering iron

- round nose jewellery pliers (or needle nose pliers)

- helping hands