Proposal
II.Problem Statement: As computers become more advanced, easier ways of interaction between the
software ad the user have a necessity to become available. The mouse was a
great improvement over simple keyboard input for non-literate users. Something
even more advanced yet comprehensible for basic users would ease user interface
for those that don't have time to understand the increasingly complicated
world of computers.
III.Purpose The purpose of the Upper Hand Project is to respond to the problem presented.
Its uses in the interface of the 3d world is important in that it will improve
the user's understanding of the computer and open an entire world of
possibilites in multiple fields. I plan to create a 3 dimensional model of the
human hand. Each finger will act very similarly to the motions of a real human
hand. Not only will users be able to move the hand
across the screen (like a mouse used only to click on icons) the hand motions
will make the computer interactive environment capable of 3 dimensions. It is
worth doing in the Computer Systems Laboratory because of the educational
environment and software availability. Not many major computer companies will
be interested in the technology due to the fact that they already have similar
research projects being conducted. Many of my peers wil be interested due to
the uniqueness of the project.
IV.Scope:The major bound for this project is the lack of current hardware. Ideally, I
would like to find a glove that can, when worn, determine the current position
of all the digits of the hand. This would make the project much easier to
control, for without this technology, each joint of the hand will require a
different key command and then have to move that digit up and down. Not having
something akin to this glove is like using the arrow keys to move the mouse
cursor: it is possible, but it takes multiple buttons and it doesn't move as
quickly when desired. Also, only one dimension can be modified at a time: not
two like on the mouse. Another bound is the limited research available for the
topic.
V.Background Not much information is available on the few websites found with related
topics. A lot of information concerning a project very similar to the Upper
Hand. One of
the main purposes of projects within the same scope are for the study of hand
gestures themselves. In an attempt to numericalize hand gestures of various
sorts to try and understand them, many models have been created and studied.
Possible other results from such a program is the use of hand gestures in sign
language speech for the deaf, to whom sound and audio means nothing. Such
information, however, is very difficult to come by. The most important basis
for the Upper Hand project
is the understanding of what will be done, not the backround information on the
topic.
VI.Procedure and Methodology The main procedure for creating this project is actually creating the
animation and graphically displaying it to the screen. Just for understanding
of the complication of such an animation, a finger alone will first be created
and animated. Other fingers will be added and finally the hand with the
thumb will complete the graphic. Only when all of this simple coding is
completed will it be possible to add research characteristics. A major purpose
of this project is to develop an understanding of OpenGL (the graphics program
that will be used). Only then will such advanced features such as gripping items
and dropping them (which includes gravity and friction to a certain extent)
become capabilities.
VII.Expected Results As stated before, one of the main results obtained from such a project is the
understanding of graphics editors/compilers, which will be lifetime useful
information. Physical results will include, of course, the program itself,
which will be shown as an animation on the project website and as screen shots
on the presentation board. Other useful presentation visual may include graphs
of sucess rates of grabbing at different friction coefficients or perhaps images
of possible hardware to make the project easier. Such a base- a program with
basic hand capabilities- will allow future researchers to skip the first step of
creating the program and use my program to move straight into research with
visual communication or graphical interface.