Augmenting the functionality of user input devices using a digital glove

Abstract

The disclosed technologies address various technical problems, including improving human-computer interaction, by augmenting the functionality provided by user input devices using a digital glove. For example, a digital glove can be utilized to provide pressure sensitivity for non-pressure sensitive touchscreen devices, attribute input made with a digital pen to a user wearing the digital glove, augment the functionality provided by mice and other types of handheld user input devices, augment the functionality provided gaze tracking systems, improve camera-based motion tracking systems, and to augment the functionality provided by speech recognition systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for selecting between items, comprising:
 presenting, on a display screen associated with a computing device, a user interface (UI) that includes a first selectable item and a second selectable item;   defining a first correspondence between the first selectable item and a first finger of a digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device, the digital glove comprising a first flex sensor that is configured to generate first flex data in association with the first finger;   defining a second correspondence between the second selectable item and a second finger of the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device, the digital glove comprising a second flex sensor that is configured to generate second flex data in association with the second finger;   obtaining the first flex data from the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device;   determining, based at least in part upon the first flex data, that the first finger of the digital glove has been extended; and   responsive to determining that the first finger of the digital glove has been extended, selecting the first selectable item.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first selectable item and the second selectable item corresponds to a respective phonetic alternate for a word dictated to a speech recognition component executing on the computing device. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital glove comprises a third flex sensor that is configured to generate third flex data in association with a third finger, the computer-implemented method further comprising:
 obtaining the third flex data from the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device;   determining, based at least in part upon the first flex data and the third flex data, that a pinch gesture has been performed using the first finger and the third finger of the digital glove; and   responsive to determining that the pinch gesture has been performed, causing a speech recognition component executing on the computing device to switch from a first mode to a second mode represented by the first selectable item.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital glove comprises a third flex sensor that is configured to generate third flex data in association with a third finger, the computer-implemented method further comprising:
 obtaining the third flex data from the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device;   determining, based at least in part upon the first flex data and the third flex data, that a pinch gesture has been performed using the first finger and the third finger of the digital glove; and   responsive to determining that the pinch gesture has been performed, causing a speech recognition component executing on the computing device to switch from a first dictation language to a second dictation language represented by the first selectable item.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first finger and the second finger of the digital glove includes a haptic device. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising causing the digital glove to provide haptic feedback via the haptic device included in the first finger in response to determining that the first finger of the digital glove has been extended. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital glove is communicatively coupled to the computing device via a wireless connection. 
     
     
         8 . A computing device comprising:
 one or more processing units; and   computer storage media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 presenting, on a display screen, a user interface (UI) that includes a first selectable item and a second selectable item; 
 defining a first correspondence between the first selectable item and a first finger of a digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device, the digital glove comprising a first flex sensor that is configured to generate first flex data in association with the first finger; 
 defining a second correspondence between the second selectable item and a second finger of the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device, the digital glove comprising a second flex sensor that is configured to generate second flex data in association with the second finger; 
 obtaining the first flex data from the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device; 
 determining, based at least in part upon the first flex data, that the first finger of the digital glove has been extended; and 
 responsive to determining that the first finger of the digital glove has been extended, selecting the first selectable item. 
   
     
     
         9 . The computing device  claim 8 , wherein each of the first selectable item and the second selectable item corresponds to a respective phonetic alternate for a word dictated to a speech recognition component executing on the computing device. 
     
     
         10 . The computing device  claim 8 , wherein:
 the digital glove comprises a third flex sensor that is configured to generate third flex data in association with a third finger; and   the operations further comprise:
 obtaining the third flex data from the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device; 
 determining, based at least in part upon the first flex data and the third flex data, that a pinch gesture has been performed using the first finger and the third finger of the digital glove; and 
 responsive to determining that the pinch gesture has been performed, causing a speech recognition component executing on the computing device to switch from a first mode to a second mode represented by the first selectable item. 
   
     
     
         11 . The computing device  claim 8 , wherein:
 the digital glove comprises a third flex sensor that is configured to generate third flex data in association with a third finger; and   the operations further comprise:
 obtaining the third flex data from the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device; 
 determining, based at least in part upon the first flex data and the third flex data, that a pinch gesture has been performed using the first finger and the third finger of the digital glove; and 
 responsive to determining that the pinch gesture has been performed, causing a speech recognition component executing on the computing device to switch from a first dictation language to a second dictation language represented by the first selectable item. 
   
     
     
         12 . The computing device  claim 8 , wherein each of the first finger and the second finger of the digital glove includes a haptic device. 
     
     
         13 . The computing device  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise causing the digital glove to provide haptic feedback via the haptic device included in the first finger in response to determining that the first finger of the digital glove has been extended. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device  claim 8 , wherein the digital glove is communicatively coupled to the computing device via a wireless connection. 
     
     
         15 . One or more computer storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processing units, cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:
 presenting, on a display screen, a user interface (UI) that includes a first selectable item and a second selectable item;   defining a first correspondence between the first selectable item and a first finger of a digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device, the digital glove comprising a first flex sensor that is configured to generate first flex data in association with the first finger;   defining a second correspondence between the second selectable item and a second finger of the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device, the digital glove comprising a second flex sensor that is configured to generate second flex data in association with the second finger;   obtaining the first flex data from the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device;   determining, based at least in part upon the first flex data, that the first finger of the digital glove has been extended; and   responsive to determining that the first finger of the digital glove has been extended, selecting the first selectable item.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more computer storage media  claim 15 , wherein each of the first selectable item and the second selectable item corresponds to a respective phonetic alternate for a word dictated to a speech recognition component executing on the computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more computer storage media  claim 15 , wherein:
 the digital glove comprises a third flex sensor that is configured to generate third flex data in association with a third finger; and   the operations further comprise:
 obtaining the third flex data from the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device; 
 determining, based at least in part upon the first flex data and the third flex data, that a pinch gesture has been performed using the first finger and the third finger of the digital glove; and 
 responsive to determining that the pinch gesture has been performed, causing a speech recognition component executing on the computing device to switch from a first mode to a second mode represented by the first selectable item. 
   
     
     
         18 . The one or more computer storage media  claim 15 , wherein:
 the digital glove comprises a third flex sensor that is configured to generate third flex data in association with a third finger; and   the operations further comprise:
 obtaining the third flex data from the digital glove that is communicatively coupled to the computing device; 
 determining, based at least in part upon the first flex data and the third flex data, that a pinch gesture has been performed using the first finger and the third finger of the digital glove; and 
 responsive to determining that the pinch gesture has been performed, causing a speech recognition component executing on the computing device to switch from a first dictation language to a second dictation language represented by the first selectable item. 
   
     
     
         19 . The one or more computer storage media  claim 15 , wherein each of the first finger and the second finger of the digital glove includes a haptic device. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more computer storage media  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise causing the digital glove to provide haptic feedback via the haptic device included in the first finger in response to determining that the first finger of the digital glove has been extended.