DIY Cheap Glove Controller and Propeller Car

HI there,

In this instructable I'll show you how to make the cheapest glove for controlling your robots or any other Arduino or raspberry pi based projects and for demonstration example I'll also include how a little tutorial how I made car controlled by this glove. This whole glove is pure improvisation with main goal to make it work, so don't pay attention to aesthetics, the same applies to the car too.

The logic is; you have a potentiometers which you turn by pulling the rope, potentiometer is back to it's default position regarding to rubber band which is on opposite side from the rope. Rope is guided through a piece of straws.

This glove is made from most cheapest parts I could find laying around, it's basically how it looks like, like a piece of junk,but it works!
There is one quote: "if it looks stupid and it works, it ain't stupid"

I apologize for lack of build pictures, it was one of my quick projects so I wasn't thinking about capturing all the moments, so I'll try to explain in description how did I make it, although it's not so complicated :)

Step 1: Parts:

I was doing this for one of my projects( hand controlled propeller car), so I decided to put only three sensors/ potentiometers and make combinations to drive the car, you can easy put potentiometer on remaining fingers in case you need it.

In picture above are some parts which I manage to find( I don't have much extra spare parts laying around), presentation only.

- 10 rotary potentiometers - around $3 five peaces

-arduino nano - $3,50

-garden glove- less then $1

-rope- under 50 cent, or free if you find it laying around

-CD/DVD case - free

-battery- recommended is greater then 2V ,less then 5 (in my setup)

- 5v step up driver- $1

- few jumper wires- few cents

-NRF24L01 wifi module- $1

-rubber band

- heat source for bending plastic

- a straw

- burner,torch or some other heat source

and main component Hot glue, I don't have hot glue gun because it burned out, so I'm using a burner to melt hot glue sticks.

Total: less then $10

Step 2: Make Plates for Mounting Electronics

I used burner and DVD cases for making these plates.
Firstly you need to make plates of desired size, you archive that by heating plastic on place where you need to cut, and when it softens take scissors and cut it while it's hot, otherwise it will crack.

Secondly, when you have your plates, take your burner again slowly heat up your plates to make it flexible, you don't want to put it on fire. After that, put glove on your hand and put a plate on it and mold it so it fit nicely , be careful, it's very hot,obviously.

After you did all that, take your hot glue melt it down (or use hot glue gun) and put it on glove, then press these plates on it, it should hold pretty tight.
Now you should have base for mount all components on it.

Step 3: Mounting Potentiometers, Rope and Straws

Now you can mount potentiometers on plastic, glue them with hot glue.

Pay attention to the end positions of potentiometers.

After you did that, glue the rope with hot glue on the top so you can wrap it around, on opposite side attach rubber band which will provide counter force and held it always in same position when released.

Second picture is showing how ropes are connected, as you can see other end of rope is glued on the top of finger,you'll have to have some fun adjusting these lengths

Step 4: Making "catching" System for Glove

This step is optional, I make that because it provides extra stability to upper part of glove because it's heavy and without it, when you lean your hand whole plate with battery can move out few centimeters.

Anyway, take a peace of plastic, heat it up and make "C" profile so when you attach rubber band from one side it can't get away, and of course, glue it on.

Step 5: Putting Electronics on Place and Wiring Principle.

Next thing to do is put all together somehow, it's on you how will you fit your electronics on the top.

Connecting wifi module to arduino:

1 - GND
2 - VCC 3.3V !!! NOT 5V

3 - CE to Arduino pin 9

4 - CSN to Arduino pin 10

5 - SCK to Arduino pin 13

6 - MOSI to Arduino pin 11

7 - MISO to Arduino pin 12

8 - UNUSED

Make sure you have nRF24L01 library for arduino: https://github.com/maniacbug/RF24

Battery is connected to step up driver, output of step up is connected to arduino Vin pin and gnd to gnd. 5V output on arduino is connected to left (or right) pin of potentiometer, second pin is connected to arduino GND, middle pins on potentiometers are connected to analog inputs (A0,A1,A2).

That's it, if you do all these step you should have fully functional and probably the cheapest glove controller possible.

Step 6: Hand Combinations

For each driving combination I'll put description on image.

Thumb is condition if car will go forward or back, if thumb is bend- back, if not- forward.

Forefinger turns wheels left,middle finger turn wheels to the right, bend both of them it goes forward ot back (depends on your thumb)

I hope I make it clear , if not, feel free to comment bellow. :)

Step 7: Vehicle Design and Test Ride

How did I made this car is described in this instructable, of course, everything is hot glued: https://www.instructables.com/id/Propeller-powered-...

Electronic scheme is same, actually everything is same except you don't have bluetooth module, you have nRF24L01 wifi module, connection diagram is same as on step before.

I also attached software for glove and car, if you want to make similar project like this feel free to download it.

Step 8: The End!

Thank you for your attention, I hope you liked this project, if so, feel free to take a look at my other projects!

For the end, a little demonstration, I had the opportunity to demonstrate this toy on opening of "Centres of Excellence" which are held through the year.