An Approach to Record Human Hand Movement which Combines Two Complementary Measurement Systems: A Data Glove and a Motion Analysis System

This paper presents a pilot study aimed to carry out a method for prehension movement recording. This method consists of using, simultaneously, a motion analysis system (Vicon®) and a sensitive glove (Cyber Glove®). The objective is to be able to give a set of complete data to our hand model in order to simulate the human prehension movement.

In a first study, only a data glove was used to record grasping movement. Many problems appeared when analysing the output of this system:

1. 1.
   the hand model considered in the glove software is different from our model,
2. 2.
   the arch degree of freedom does not exist in the glove model, despite the existence of the corresponding sensor,
3. 3.
   the output from ab duction and flexion sensors are linked,
4. 4.
   the calibration of the thumb is not efficient.

From these technical constraints, another movement recording system - motion analysis system - is used and data glove completes the data recorded with motion analysis system. Combining both systems enables us to eliminate the insufficiencies of the motion analysis system and the sensitive glove. The main advantage of this system is that it enables us to have continuous data. These data can complete the opto-electronic system where data can be lost. This approach is dependent of the glove hand model. To set up this method an experiment is carried out. During the experiment, the subject realises several grasping postures. The results show that the information lost by a system is recovered by the other one, allowing an easier movement analysis. In that case, the reproduction of different postures of the hand and further simulation of prehension movement are possible.