JP2010170327A - Operational inputting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation inputting device which improves operability for an operator and also improves precision in identifying gestures. <P>SOLUTION: The operation inputting device includes: a first motion-detecting means 1 which detects a motion when the distal phalanges of fingers (fingertips) move; a second motion-detecting means 5 which detects a motion when the metacarpal bones of the fingers move; and a fixing belt 9 which fixes the first motion-detecting means 1 on the distal phalanges of the fingers and also fixes the second motion-detecting means 5 on the metacarpal bones of the fingers. The fixing belt 9, which is partially composed of at least an flexible string-like body, includes; a fingertip fixation part 2 which fixes the first motion-detecting means 1 to the fingertips; a metacarpal bone fixation part 4 which fixes the second motion-detecting means 5, on the back-of-the-hand side, between the metacarpophalangeal joints and the wrist; a finger-side connection part 3 which connects the fingertip fixation part 2 with the metacarpal bone fixation part 4 and partially extends on the front sides of the fingers when mounted; and a wrist mounting part 8 which is connected to the metacarpal bone fixation part 4 via a wrist-side connection part 6 and is fixed to the wrist. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation input device used in, for example, a computer, multimedia, TV game, and the like.

  Conventionally, as a computer input device to which this type of operation input device is applied, a three-dimensional mouse, a spatial operation mouse, or the like has been used in contrast to a conventional two-dimensional mouse. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-132305 discloses a technique for generating a corresponding command by detecting the movement and posture of the back of the hand and the finger by attaching a sensor to the back and the finger of the operator.

Japanese Patent No. 3397772 is provided with a sensor for detecting the position and orientation of the operator's hand, and a first ring portion that is mounted so as to cover the back and palm of the operator's hand, and a speaker. Disclosed is a sensor mounting device including a second ring portion that is attached so as to cover an operator's wrist, and a belt-like connecting portion that connects the first ring portion and the second ring portion. ing.
JP 2000-132305 A Japanese Patent No. 3397772

  In the back-mounted operation input device represented by JP 2000-132305 described above, there is a problem in wiring between the back and fingertips. That is, when wiring between the back of the operator's hand and the components of the fingertip, the wiring length when the finger of the hand is bent is designed to be the longest. Therefore, when the hand is spread, the wiring member is loosened, and this loose wiring may interfere with the operation and impair the operability.

  In Japanese Patent No. 3397772, when a mounting member such as a sensor is mounted on the palm of the operator, the mounting member is interposed during work such that the hand grips something. In some cases, the operator feels uncomfortable or the operator feels uncomfortable due to palm sweat.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and the object of the present invention is to improve the operability of the operator and to improve the recognition accuracy of gestures by hand movements. To provide an operation input device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the operation input device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a first detection means for detecting movement when the distal phalanx of a finger moves, and a metacarpal bone of the finger moving. A second detecting means for detecting the movement of the finger and a fixing belt for fixing the first detecting means on the distal phalanx of the finger and the second detecting means on the metacarpal of the finger. The fixing belt is formed of a string-like body having at least a part of elasticity, and a fingertip fixing portion that fixes the first detecting means to a fingertip; and the second detecting means is a middle interphalangeal joint. A metacarpal bone fixing part that is fixed between the wrist and the wrist and on the back side of the hand, the finger side that connects the fingertip fixing part and the metacarpal bone fixing part, and at least a part thereof extends on the ventral side of the finger One end is fixed to the connection part, the wrist attachment part fixed to the wrist, and the metacarpal fixation part, and the metacarpal fixation part is removed. And the wrist-side connecting portion to the wrist portion at the opposite side portions of the surrounding wrist and the other end extending to secure viewed from only the position, consisting of.

  Moreover, the operation input device according to the second aspect of the present invention is the operation input device according to the first aspect, wherein the finger side connection portion includes two fingertip fixing portions and two metacarpal bone fixing portions. The two string-like bodies intersect on the ventral side of the fingers.

  The operation input device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the operation input device according to the first aspect, wherein the string-like body has a conductive path, and the first detection means and / or the second This is a path for supplying power to the detection means and / or reading out a detection signal from the first detection means and / or the second detection means.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to improve the operability of the operator and improve the recognition accuracy of gestures by hand movement. In particular, when the finger is bent, that is, when the finger is bent, the finger-side connecting portion extends to the inside of the bend, so that the finger-side connecting portion is not obstructive when the finger is bent, and the burden on the wearer Can be reduced.

  Further, according to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, even when it is constituted by two string-like bodies, when the fingers are bent by crossing, It can be firmly fixed without hindering movement and without causing slack of the string-like body.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the string-like body has a conductive path, whereby a path for supplying power and a wiring for reading a detection signal are provided. There is no need to separately provide paths for members and the like.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a skeleton structure of a finger of an operator wearing the operation input device of the present invention. The thumb 10 has a distal phalanx 10A, a proximal phalanx 10B, and a first metacarpal bone 10D in order from the tip of the finger. Between the distal phalanx 10A and the proximal phalanx 10B, an IP (Inter-Phalangeal) joint 10K, a proximal segment. An MP (Metacarpo-Phalangeal) joint 10L is provided between the bone 10B and the first metacarpal bone 10D, and a large rhomboid bone 10M is provided at the first metacarpal bone 10D.

  The index finger 11 has a distal phalanx 11A, a middle phalanx 11B, a proximal phalanx 11C, and a second metacarpal bone 11D in order from the tip of the finger, and a DIP (Distal) between the distal phalanx 11A and the middle phalanx 11B. Inter-Phalangeal) joint 11K, PIP (Proximal Inter-Phalangeal) joint 11L between middle phalanx 11B and proximal phalanx 11C, and MP (Metacarpo-Phalangeal) joint between proximal phalange 11C and second metacarpal bone 11D 11M.

  The middle finger 12 has a distal phalanx 12A, a middle phalanx 12B, a proximal phalanx 12C, and a third metacarpal bone 12D in order from the tip of the finger, and a DIP joint 12K between the distal phalanx 12A and the middle phalanx 12B. A PIP joint 12L is provided between the middle phalanx 12B and the proximal phalanx 12C, and an MP joint 12M is provided between the proximal phalange 12C and the third metacarpal bone 12D.

  The ring finger 13 includes a distal phalanx 13A, a middle phalanx 13B, a proximal phalanx 13C, and a fourth metacarpal bone 13D in order from the tip of the finger, and a DIP joint 13K between the distal phalanx 13A and the middle phalanx 13B. A PIP joint 13L is provided between the middle phalanx 13B and the proximal phalanx 13C, and an MP joint 13M is provided between the proximal phalange 13C and the fourth metacarpal bone 13D.

  The little finger 14 has a distal phalanx 14A, a middle phalanx 14B, a proximal phalanx 14C, and a fifth metacarpal bone 14D in order from the tip of the finger, and a DIP joint 14K between the distal phalanx 14A and the middle phalanx 14B. A PIP joint 14L is provided between the middle phalanx 14B and the proximal phalanx 14C, and an MP joint 14M is provided between the proximal phalange 14C and the fifth metacarpal bone 14D.

(First embodiment)
2A, 2B, and 2C are diagrams illustrating a schematic configuration of the operation input device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 3 (A) and 3 (B) are views showing a situation when the operator wears the operation input device in order to detect an operation using the thumb of the hand, and FIG. FIG. 3B shows the mounting state when viewed from the palm side, and FIG. 3B shows the mounting state when viewed from the palm side.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the operation input device of the first embodiment detects the movement when the distal phalanx (fingertip) of a finger (for example, the distal phalange 10A of the thumb 10 in FIG. 1) moves. Detection means (first movement detection means 1) and second detection means (second movement detection means for detecting movement when the metacarpal bone of the finger (for example, the first metacarpal bone 10D of the thumb 10 in FIG. 1) moves). The motion detection means 5) and the first detection means (first motion detection means 1) are placed on the distal phalanx (the distal phalanx 10A) of the finger, and the second detection means (second motion detection means 5) is placed in the finger. And a fixing belt 9 for fixing on the hand bone (first metacarpal bone 10D).

  The fixing belt 9 is formed of a string-like body having at least a part of elasticity, a fingertip fixing portion 2 for fixing the first detection means (first motion detection means 1) to the fingertip of the thumb 10, and a second detection. Means (second movement detecting means 5) between the metacarpal joint (for example, the MP joint 10L of the thumb) and the wrist and fixed to the back of the hand, the metacarpal bone fixing part 4, the fingertip fixing part 2 and the middle A finger-side connecting portion 3 that is connected to the wrist bone fixing portion 4 and extends at least partly on the ventral side of the finger when worn, a wrist attachment portion 8 that is fixed to the wrist, and a metacarpal bone fixing One end is fixed to the portion 4 and extends so that the other end is fixed to the wrist mounting portion 8 at the opposite side (the little finger side of the wrist) around the wrist as viewed from the attachment position of the metacarpal fixing portion 4 And a wrist side connection portion 6 for performing. The wrist mounting part 8 is provided with a power supply part 7 for supplying power to each part.

  Here, the direction around the wrist joint is defined as follows from the relationship with the hand position. The “back side of the wrist” and the opposite side thereof are defined as “palm side of the wrist”, and “the thumb side of the wrist” and the opposite side thereof are defined as “the little finger side of the wrist” in four directions.

  According to the configuration described above, it is possible to improve the operability of the operator and improve the recognition accuracy of gestures by hand movement. In particular, when the finger is bent, that is, when the finger is bent, the finger-side connecting portion 3 extends inside the bend, so that the finger-side connecting portion 3 does not easily get in the way when the finger is bent. 6 also has the same effect on wrist movement, and can reduce the burden on the wearer.

  Furthermore, in FIG. 2 (A), the finger side connection part 3 connects the fingertip fixing | fixed part 2 and the metacarpal bone fixing | fixed part 4 with the two string-like bodies 3-1 and 3-2, and two strings The shaped bodies 3-1 and 3-2 intersect each other on the abdominal side of the finger when worn (FIG. 3B).

  According to such a configuration, even when the finger side connection portion 3 is configured by the two string-like bodies 3-1 and 3-2, the movement of the finger is not hindered when the finger is bent by crossing. And the slack of the two string-like bodies 3-1 and 3-2 does not occur.

Further, the wrist side connecting portion 6 is composed of two string-like bodies 6-1 and 6-2, and is opposite to the wrist with respect to the attachment position of the metacarpal bone fixing portion 4 (in the case of attaching the thumb, It extends partially extending to the little finger side) and is connected to the wrist mounting portion 8. Such a configuration of the two string-like bodies 6-1 and 6-2 is formed by extending to the little finger side of the wrist so that the movement of the wrist is not hindered when the wrist is bent and the two string-like bodies are formed. The slack of the bodies 6-1 and 6-2 is not caused. By doing in this way, the fingertip fixing | fixed part 2 and the metacarpal bone fixing | fixed part 4 can be continuously fixed firmly to each location.
Moreover, the string-like bodies (string-like bodies 3-1 and 3-2 of the finger side connection portion 3 and the string-like bodies 6-1 and 6-2 of the wrist side connection portion 6) constituting the fixed belt 9 have conductive paths. A path for supplying power from the power supply unit 7 to the first motion detection means 1 and / or the second motion detection means 5 and reading a detection signal from the first motion detection means 1 and / or the second motion detection means 5 It becomes. That is, the finger side connection part 3 has a function of fixing the fingertip fixing part 2 to the finger and a function of wiring of a power source and a signal line.

  According to such a configuration, the string-like bodies 3-1, 3-2, 6-1, and 6-2 have the conductive path, whereby the path for supplying the power from the power supply unit 7 and the path for reading the detection signal. Need not be provided separately.

  In the above fixing method, the first motion detection means 1 is fixed by pulling it to the opposite side of the finger with respect to the attachment position. On the other hand, even if the string-like bodies 3-1 and 3-2 are not crossed but are bundled on the belly side of the finger as shown in FIG.

  Similarly, the two string-like bodies 6-1 and 6-2 may be bundled instead of intersecting as shown in FIG. 2A (FIG. 2C).

  Further, the shape of the fingertip fixing portion 2 does not have to be a ring-shaped or finger-thru-shaped shape that surrounds the fingers, but has a shape that is a part of an arc shape (see FIG. 2). If placed between the IP joint 10K and the nail (for example, between the IP joint 10K and the nail), the finger-side connecting portion 3 can be pulled from both ends of the arc shape to the stomach side of the finger. Thus, by setting it as circular arc shape, it can fix to a fingertip, without covering the belly side of a fingertip. Therefore, even in a worn state, it is possible to perform a fine and delicate work with the fingertip. Furthermore, even if the thickness of the finger is different, there is no need to make the shape and size suitable for the finger, and a design with a wide range of hand sizes that can be attached is possible.

  The same applies to the wrist side connection portion 6 and is fixed by pulling from the position on the little finger side of the wrist, which is the position opposite to the attachment position on the back side of the metacarpal bone. That is, the metacarpal fixation part 4 is pulled from four directions with respect to the attachment position by the four string-like bodies of the fingertip connection parts 3-1 and 3-2 and the wrist side connection parts 6-1 and 6-2. It will be fixed. Here, the wrist side connection part 6 extends to the little finger side of the wrist and is connected to the wrist mounting part 8 as shown in the figure. However, like the fingertip, the wrist side connection part 6 is crossed on the little finger side of the wrist and is on the wrist thumb side. It may be connected to the mounting portion 8 and fixed. In this way, the metacarpal bone fixing part 4 can be fixed without attaching a fixing member, a wiring member, or the like on the palm side. Therefore, the operability on the palm side is not impaired even in the worn state.

  Further, the fixing belt 9 is configured to be connected by connecting portions (fingertip connecting portion 3 and wrist side connecting portion 6) connecting the fingertip fixing portion 2, the metacarpal bone fixing portion 4 and the wrist mounting portion 8 respectively. Further, since the second motion detecting means 5 has a wide range of detectable positions (metacarpal bone 10D), the length of the fingertip connecting portion 3 is adjusted at the fixing position of the metacarpal fixing portion 4. Can do. Furthermore, the wrist mounting part 8 can be fixed so as to adjust the length of the string-like body of each connection part (fingertip connection part 3 and wrist side connection part 6). Therefore, it becomes a structure that can be worn in various hand sizes, and a design with a wide wearing size range is possible.

  By bringing the crossing position of each connection part (fingertip connection part 3 and wrist side connection part 6) inside the joint, it does not loosen when bent, and does not interfere with the operation. Such an attachment method can be attached to each joint of the body other than the hand with the same idea.

(Second Embodiment)
FIGS. 4A and 4B are views showing a state when the operation input device according to the second embodiment is worn by the operator in order to detect an operation using the index finger and the middle finger of the hand. 4 (A) shows the mounting state when viewed from the back side of the hand, and FIG. 4 (B) shows the mounting state when viewed from the palm side.

  The operation input device according to the second embodiment includes a first detection unit (first detector) that detects movement when the distal phalanx (fingertip) of a finger (for example, the distal phalanges 11A and 12A of the index finger 11 and the middle finger 12 in FIG. 1) moves. 1 motion detection means 1), second detection means (second motion detection means 5) for detecting motion when the metacarpal bone (back of hand) of the finger moves, and first detection means (first motion) The detecting means 1) is placed on the middle phalanx (the middle phalanx 11B and 12B) of the finger, and the second detecting means (the second motion detecting means 5) is placed on the metacarpal (the second and third metacarpal bones 11D) of the finger. , 12D, etc.) and a fixing belt 9 for fixing to the upper back part.

  In the present embodiment, the first detection means (first motion detection means 1) is attached not to the distal phalanx of the fingertip but to the middle phalanx. In the movement of fingers other than the thumb, the movement of the middle phalanx in the natural hand opening / closing movement changes almost in correlation with the movement of the distal phalanx. Accordingly, since the movement of the distal phalanx can be estimated by observing the movement of the middle phalanx, the first detection means is attached at this position. Next, the second detection means (second movement detection means 5) has a substantially integrated movement because the four metacarpal bones other than the thumb are in the palm of the human hand. Therefore, since the movement of the metacarpal bone of each finger other than the thumb is the same as the movement of the back of the hand, it is only necessary to detect this one place. Therefore, the second detection means can be shared by one.

  The fixing belt 9 is formed of a string-like body having at least a part of elasticity, and the first detecting means (first motion detecting means 1) is the middle phalanx (the middle phalanx 11B or 12B) of the index finger 11 or the middle finger 12. The fingertip fixing part 2 fixed to the head and the second detection means (second motion detection means 5) are connected between the interphalangeal joint (MP indirect, for example, the MP joints 11M and 12M of the index finger 11 and the middle finger 12) and the wrist. And the metacarpal bone fixing part 4 for fixing to the back side of the hand, the fingertip fixing part 2 and the metacarpal bone fixing part 4 are connected, and at least a part of the finger extends on the ventral side of the finger when worn. It consists of the side connection part 3 and the wrist mounting part 8 connected to the metacarpal bone fixing part 4 via the wrist side connection part 6 and being fixed to the wrist. The wrist mounting part 8 is provided with a power supply part 7 for supplying power to each part. In addition, one end of the wrist side connection portion 6 extends toward the palm side of the wrist with respect to the position where the metacarpal bone fixing portion 4 is fixed in order to fix the metacarpal bone fixing portion 4. Yes.

  Further, in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the finger-side connecting portion 3 includes a fingertip fixing portion 2 and a metacarpal bone fixing portion 4 that are four string-like bodies 3-1, 3-2, and 3-3. , 3-4, and the two pairs of string-like bodies 3-1, 3-2 and 3-3, 3-4 cross each other on the abdomen side of the finger when worn (FIG. 4). (B)). The wrist side connection portion 6 is composed of two string-like bodies 6-1 and 6-2, extends to the palm side of the wrist, and is connected to the wrist mounting portion 8. According to such a configuration, even when configured with two string-like bodies 6-1 and 6-2, when the wrist is bent by crossing or bundling, the movement of the wrist is not hindered, and Since the string-like bodies 6-1 and 6-2 are not loosened, the metacarpal bone fixing 4 can be kept firmly fixed to the back of the hand.

  Further, the cord-like bodies constituting the fixing belt 9 (the cord-like bodies 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4 of the finger side connecting portion 3, the cord-like bodies 6-1 of the wrist side connecting portion 6). 6-2) has a conductive path, and supplies power from the power supply unit 7 to the first motion detection means 1 and / or the second motion detection means 5, or detects the first motion detection means 1 and / or the second motion detection. This is a path for reading the detection signal from the means 5.

  According to the configuration of the second embodiment described above, an effect equivalent to that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  FIG. 6 illustrates the flow from when the detecting means attached to the fingertip or back of the operator detects the movement or posture of the fingertip or back of the hand until the corresponding command is sent to the outside. It is a block diagram for. Here, the case where the apparatus is mounted on the operator's thumb will be described, but the same applies to the case where the apparatus is mounted on other fingers, for example, the index finger or the middle finger. FIG. 5 shows the detection axis detected by each mounted motion detection means.

  For example, the first motion detection means 100 (corresponding to the first motion detection means 1 in FIG. 2A) is attached to the fingertip of the thumb, and the second motion detection means 101 (FIG. A) corresponding to the second motion detection means 5) is mounted.

  The second motion detection means 101 attached to the thumb metacarpal has a sensor configuration for detecting the three rotation axes and the three translational axes of the metacarpal in space. The definition of the coordinate system {T} based on the thumb metacarpal at this time is shown in FIG. The axis from the metacarpal bone to the fingertip is the Xt axis, the vertical axis orthogonal to the Xt axis is the Zt axis, and the axis orthogonal to each is the Yt axis.

  The sensor configuration may be a combination of a triaxial acceleration sensor, a triaxial angular velocity sensor, and a triaxial geomagnetic sensor. Each triaxial sensor is arranged to be detected with respect to the Xt-Yt-Zt axis of the metacarpal coordinate system {T}.

Next, the first motion detection unit 100 includes a sensor that detects an angle of the thumb in the bending direction in space. In this case, it can be constituted by at least a uniaxial angular velocity sensor. This one axis is arranged to detect rotation of an axis parallel to the Yt axis of the metacarpal coordinate system {T}. (Figure 5)
In the second motion detection unit 101, the position / posture information detected by the sensor having the above configuration is input to the spatial coordinate calculation unit 103. The spatial coordinate calculation means 103 calculates the position / posture of the metacarpal bone in space based on the position / posture information.

  First, in the spatial coordinate calculation means 103, when there is an instruction for an initialization operation by an initialization instruction means (not shown), the gravity vector axis is the Zw axis, the direction perpendicular to the Zw axis and going from the thumb metacarpal bone to the fingertip Is set in the world coordinate system {w} with the Xw axis and the axis perpendicular to the Zw axis and the Xw axis as the Yw axis (FIG. 5), and at the same time, the internal position for obtaining the rotational attitude angle by the time integration calculation of the angular velocity sensor The calculation data is initialized to zero, and the earth's geomagnetic vector at the current position at the current location is detected by a three-axis geomagnetic sensor and stored as an initial geomagnetic vector.

  In the coordinate calculation operation after initialization, the inclination from the gravity vector axis is obtained by extracting the static information of the triaxial acceleration sensor, and the Zt axis inclination of the thumb metacarpal (rotation angle with respect to the Xt and Yt axes). Is detected. Further, the azimuth direction (rotation angle with respect to the Zt axis) is obtained by the change of the current geomagnetic vector with respect to the initial geomagnetic vector by the geomagnetic sensor. A three-axis spatial rotation posture is obtained from the tilt information obtained by the acceleration sensor and the azimuth information obtained by the geomagnetic sensor.

  However, in order to obtain such information, low-pass arithmetic processing and static conditions are required, and information cannot be obtained at high speed. Therefore, the rotation posture information by time integration of the angular velocity sensor is obtained, and the rotation posture angle of the thumb metacarpal is estimated by fusing the static rotation posture information obtained from the acceleration sensor and the geomagnetic sensor. For example, the spatial rotation posture can be accurately estimated from low speed to high speed by increasing the weight of the angular velocity sensor information when moving at high speed and increasing the weight of information of the acceleration sensor and the geomagnetic sensor at low speed.

  Furthermore, the accuracy can be improved by a method of correcting the angular velocity posture information by static rotational posture information. Thus, the rotational posture angle [wRt] of the metacarpal coordinate system {T} Xt-Yt-Zt axis with respect to the world coordinate system {w} Xw-Yw-Zw axis is estimated.

  Next, regarding translation information, speed information is obtained by time-integrating acceleration sensor information once, and position information is obtained by further time integration. However, in the same manner as the angle calculation of the angular velocity sensor, in order to obtain translation information, it is necessary to initialize the integral information to zero at the time of initialization.

  Next, the acceleration information of the acceleration sensor includes 1G gravity acceleration detected everywhere on the earth and translation acceleration information when the translation operation is performed. Therefore, it is necessary to remove static gravity acceleration from the acceleration sensor. For this purpose, an estimated gravitational vector amount is estimated from Zw that is a gravitational vector axis based on rotational attitude angle information [wRt] estimated from the angular velocity sensor, and the translational acceleration is obtained by subtracting the estimated gravitational vector amount from the acceleration information. Can be sought. The translational position can be estimated by integrating the translational acceleration twice with respect to time.

  From the above, the rotation posture angle and the translation position, which are the position and posture of the thumb metacarpal bone {T} with respect to the world coordinate system {w}, are estimated.

  Also, the thumb bending angle estimation means 102 is based on the posture information of the thumb metacarpal in space from the space coordinate calculation means 103 and the posture information of the fingertip from the first motion detection means 100, and is applied to the thumb metacarpal. Estimate the bending angle. This is attached to an axis parallel to the Yt axis of the metacarpal coordinate system {T}, and the rotation angle can be obtained by time integration of an angular velocity sensor that detects rotation around this axis. In order to obtain the rotational attitude angle by the time integration calculation of the angular velocity sensor, it is initialized to zero at the time of initialization.

  Since the bending direction of the thumb and the Yt axis direction of the metacarpal bone are installed in parallel, when the posture of the hand changes without changing the bending angle of the thumb, the angular velocity sensor of the fingertip and the Yt axis of the metacarpal bone The same rotational motion is applied to the angular velocity sensor. However, when the finger is bent, a rotational motion is applied to the angular velocity sensor of the fingertip, but no motion is applied to the Yt-axis angular velocity sensor of the metacarpal bone. Therefore, by looking at the difference between these two angular velocity sensors, only the bending angle of the fingertip can be detected independently even if the posture of the hand changes.

  The thumb pose detecting means 104 is based on the thumb bending angle from the thumb bending angle estimating means 102 and the position / posture information on the space of the thumb metacarpal from the spatial coordinate calculating means 103 on the space of the entire thumb. Estimate the position, posture and bending pose of the thumb. The thumb motion analysis unit 105 analyzes the gesture motion of the thumb based on the position of the thumb in the space from the thumb pose detection unit 104 and the temporal and spatial changes in the thumb pose. The thumb motion analysis means 105 compares a plurality of gesture motions stored in advance, and obtains code information determined in advance corresponding to the motion when the motion matches.

  The command sending unit 106 receives code information obtained by the gesture analysis by the thumb motion analysis unit 105 and is usually sent to the outside as command information, but is a code for controlling the operation inside the operation input device. In some cases, it is executed as an internal command.

  In the above embodiment, the power supply unit and the like are mounted on the wrist mounting unit 8, but the present invention is not particularly limited thereto. Further, a signal control circuit, a calculation means, etc., not shown, may be provided anywhere.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a skeleton structure of a finger of an operator wearing the operation input device of the present invention. It is a figure showing a schematic structure of an operation input device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 3A and 3B are views showing a state when the operator wears the operation input device according to the first embodiment on the thumb of the hand. 4 (A) and 4 (B) are views showing a state when the operator wears the operation input device according to the second embodiment on the index finger and the middle finger of the hand. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the movement of the finger of the operator detected by the first and second motion detection means. FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining the flow of various arithmetic processing units until the corresponding command is sent to the outside after the detection means detects the movement and posture of the fingertips and back of the hand.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st motion detection means 2 Fingertip fixing | fixed part 3 Finger side connection part 3-1 and 3-2 String-like body 4 Metacarpal bone fixing | fixed part 5 2nd motion detection means 6 Wrist side connection part 6-1 and 6-2 String Shape 7 Power supply unit 8 Wrist mounting unit 9 Fixed belt 100 First motion detection unit 101 Second motion detection unit 102 Thumb bending angle estimation unit 103 Spatial coordinate calculation unit 104 Thumb pose detection unit 105 Thumb motion analysis unit 106 Command transmission unit

Claims (3)

First detection means for detecting movement when the distal phalanx of the finger moves;
A second detection means for detecting movement when the metacarpal bone of the finger moves;
A fixing belt for fixing the first detection means on the distal phalanx of the finger and the second detection means on the metacarpal bone of the finger;
The fixing belt is composed of a string-like body having stretchability at least in part,
A fingertip fixing part for fixing the first detection means to the fingertip;
A metacarpal fixation part for fixing the second detection means between the intercarpal joint and the wrist and on the back side of the hand;
Connecting the fingertip fixing part and the metacarpal fixation part, and at least a part of the finger side connection part extending on the ventral side of the finger;
A wrist mounting portion fixed to the wrist;
One end fixed to the metacarpal fixing part, and the wrist side extending so that the other end is fixed to the wrist mounting part at an opposite side part around the wrist when viewed from the attachment position of the metacarpal fixing part An operation input device comprising: a connection unit; The finger side connection part is
The fingertip fixing part and the metacarpal bone fixing part are connected with two string-like bodies,
The operation input device according to claim 1, wherein the two string-like bodies intersect on the belly side of the finger. The string has a conductive path;
The first detection means and / or the second detection means is supplied with power and / or serves as a path for reading a detection signal from the first detection means and / or the second detection means. The operation input device according to claim 1.

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