Hand gesture controlled robotic arm

Over the years robots have been designed to perform various tasks much quicker and more effiently than humans. Though these robots may be fast and capable, controlling them can be slow and cumbersome. Hand gesture control is an emerging method of controlling robots in a simplified and more efficient manner. Using hand gesture control over other control options is beneficial as it incorporates natural human movement to achieve the same or even more control in an uncomplicated fashion. The project seeks to develop a cheap and simple method of hand gesture control for a robotic arm with five degrees of freedom (DOF). The proposed method is a glove fitted with various sensors that will interpret hand gestures, process them and control the robot. A flex sensor, two accelerometers, and a gyroscope will be attached to the glove to achieve this control. The result is a cheap and simple prototype that has full control over the 5 DOF of the robotic arm. The concepts of this project can be applied to many areas of industry, with possibilities such as military applications, medical procedures, or even handling hazardous waste such as nuclear etc.