\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- @setfilename powerglove-faq @settitle PowerGlove FAQ @ifinfo Original material copyright @copyright{} 1993 J. Eric Townsend Compilation copyright @copyright{} 1993 J. Eric Townsend @end ifinfo @titlepage @sp 10 @title {PowerGlove FAQ} @subtitle {Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about Mattel's PowerGlove} @sp 2 @author {J. Eric Townsend} @author {jet@@@{ nas.nasa.gov | well.sf.ca.us | netcom.com @} } @page @vskip 0pt plus 1filll Original material copyright @copyright{} 1993 J. Eric Townsend. Compilation copyright @copyright{} 1993 J. Eric Townsend @end titlepage @node Top, Forward, (dir), (dir) @menu * Forward:: * Introduction:: * Resources:: * Hardware Interfaces:: * Software :: * Basic Setup Instructions:: * Related homebrew stuff:: * Supplies/Mail Order:: * Wierd Info - Triva - References:: * Legal Issues:: * Other Gloves:: @end menu @node Forward, Introduction, Top, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Forward Mattel PowerGlove FAQ version 0.2, [date]. Written by jet@@nas.nasa.gov (j. eric townsend). @emph{Significant} help and input from: Randy Shedden (randysh@@microsoft.com) Linda Jacobson (lindaj@@well.sf.ca.us) Lots of people on the WELL, sci.virtual-worlds, and of course, the glove-list. The FAQ is still in a very rough state. Please send changes/adds/deletes to jet@@nas.nasa.gov. All sorts of product names are probably trademark by the appropriate vendors. Comments in the form of [DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS? -JET] are notes to myself, let me know if you have something to replace the note with. A current version of this file can be obtained from ~jet/public on the WELL, netcom, or the NAS internal network. It will also be posted to USENET's sci.virtual-worlds, the WELL's vr conference and various mailing lists at sporadic intervals. If you are reading this via a World Wide Web (WWW) client, click here to go to the WWW server being built to serve parallel, visualization and VR users. (If this doesn't work very well, don't be terribly surprised. It's a low-priority project for me right now.) This is probably the last version of the PowerGlove-specific FAQ. It will probably be consumed by a HomeBrew VR FAQ, if things go well. @center DISCLAIMER This document does not constitute an endorsement of any of the products, services or groups listed. It's not my fault if you get hurt, suffer loses, or get into trouble because of anything you read in this document. @node Introduction, Resources, Forward, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Introduction This document assumes you have a basic familiarity with the terms and concepts related to virtual reality and also with USENET and the Internet with its related tools (telnet, ftp, mail). This document is written in TeXinfo, which means it is equally easy to read in source form or print out a nicely formatted copy. But wait, there's more! You could convince your site admin to install the powerglove faq into the emacs info database, and read it with emacs info or xinfo! If you don't want/can't info or print this document, you'll be able to read through with little, if any, difficulty. (For more information on texinfo, poke around in GNU emacs or ftp the texinfo package from /pub/gnu on prep.ai.mit.edu.) @menu * What is a PowerGlove?:: * Why use a PowerGlove instead of glove:: * What are the big problems?:: * What are the technical problems?:: @end menu @node What is a PowerGlove?, Why use a PowerGlove instead of glove, Introduction, Introduction @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section What is a PowerGlove? In 1989 Mattel (yes, the toy company) introduced the PowerGlove, a handtracking device based on a glove. The PowerGlove was intended to work with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in place of a regular controller. The PowerGlove can track motion of the glove in three-space, finger position, and has a set of buttons/switches on the top of the wrist. It has two modes "hires" and "lores". In "hires" mode, the PG reports the position in threespace, the roll, and configuration of fingers along with the SELECT, START, A, B, CENTER and ARROW CLUSTER switches (which are a part of the NES standard controller). In lores mode the glove reports position on the hand on the x and y axis and the buttons (thus emulating a NES controller completely and allowing one to use the glove with non-glove-specific games). The lores mode also allows the users to select one of fourteen (?) built-in programs that associate different sets of motions with the NES controller outputs of up/down/left/right/select/start/A/B. Each program also has its own translation of finger movements to control inputs. @node Why use a PowerGlove instead of glove, What are the big problems?, What is a PowerGlove?, Introduction @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Why use a PowerGlove instead of glove PowerGloves originally cost around $100, if you're lucky these days you can find them usually under $30 at a Toys R' Us on the remaindered rack. Most of the gloves on the shelves have been bought up, some by speculators. (I keep hearing rumors of people with 40-50 gloves in a closet who trickle them out a few at a time.) If you don't know what a Dataglove costs, you probably can't afford it. @node What are the big problems?, What are the technical problems?, Why use a PowerGlove instead of glove, Introduction @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section What are the big problems? Several problems face you if you want to use a PowerGlove as a VR input device. These aren't technical problems (although there are those as well), mind you, but real-world problems. There is no official hardware or software support from Mattel, and the gloves are no longer being produced. Of course, there is no official hardware or software support from any third party companies either. Contact Nintendo for information if you like, but the person who answers the phone probably won't even know what a PowerGlove is. On the up side, everything you will use was probably written or designed by a fellow hacker. @node What are the technical problems?, , What are the big problems?, Introduction @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section What are the technical problems? The ultrasonic sensing is done with inexpensive microphones so it is difficult to place the sensing array directly on a computer monitor and get a clean signal. A somewhat common fix is to hang the sensing "array" on a wall that has a low ultrasonic reflection rate. People are using anything from towels to ultrasonic anechoic foam to dampen the noise. This detailed list of problems is from Randy Shedden: @enumerate @item In order register your hand position, you must point your knuckles at the reciever array. It gets tiring holding your hand up for extended periods. @item The only information about hand orientation that get is rotation. (This is also called roll.) In flight technology, if you raise one wing while you lower the other, this is called rolling the plane. Ascribing this behaviour to your hand, if you raise your little finger while lowering your thumb, this would also be called roll. If a plane moves it's nose to the left while the tail moves to the right, the plane is said to yaw. If you do the same thing with your hand, the ultrasonic transmitters would point away from the sensor array and you would lose all orientation information. If a plane lowers it's nose while the tail is raised, the plane is said to pitch. If you do the same thing with your hand, again you lose all orientation information. So, while the VPL DataGlove can track yawl, pitch and roll. The PG can only track roll (commonly called rotation). @item The information about how your hand is configured is not very accurate. As mentioned above, the material that covers the thumb and fingers has different electrical resistance depending on how much it is flexed. So, when you have a finger fully extended, the material is not flexed at all. When you have a finger fully clenched, the material is flexed to it's functional limits. This is expressed in terms of a degree of flexure (bentness) for each digit. This degree is one of 4 integer values. 0 means the digit is fully extended. 1 means the digit is a little bent 2 means the digit is more bent than straight and 3 means the digit is fully bent. @item For each digit, this resolution isn't very good. Aside from that, it is hard to flex the material to reproduce the desire degree of flexature. For instance, it is not a trivial matter to do a gesture that requires that the ring finger be at state 1 (a little bent). This digital (no pun intended) value is also hard to maintain once you have it, because moving the neighboring digits can have an effect on the flexure of the digit in question. Try bending your middle finger without also bending your ring finger. Additionally, Only the thumb and THREE of your fingers are tracked at all. For some reason, the PG doesn't keep track of your pinky. In conparison, the VPL DataGlove gives much better resolution on ALL of your digits and material (a small fiber optic cable) is much easier to use than the bulky PG material. @end enumerate @node Resources, Hardware Interfaces, Introduction, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Resources If you are interested in the various mailing lists, you'll want to grab the canonical list of mailing lists from news.answers on USENET. (Or, failing that, from the author arielle@@taronga.com. Don't bother her unless you need to, she's very busy and too nice to bother with trivial problems.) @menu * The PowerGlove mailing list:: * sci.virtual-worlds (sci.v-r):: * VRASP:: * Amiga and VR mailing list:: * trackers mailing list:: * WTK list:: * rend386 mailing list:: * ftp sites :: * Misc Resources:: * Other Power Glove people / Previous Works:: @end menu @node The PowerGlove mailing list, sci.virtual-worlds (sci.v-r), Resources, Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section The PowerGlove mailing list The PowerGlove mailing list is run by jet@@nas.nasa.gov (J. Eric Townsend) from the machine boxer.nas.nasa.gov. It operates on an automated listserv-type package, which means it can do lots of neat things, but users need to pay close attention to the instructions. To subscribe, send a message to listserv@@boxer.nas.nasa.gov with a body of "subscribe glove-list your_full_name". Send this message from the account you want to recieve the list. You cannot subscribe another person, or a different email address. (If you would like to subscribe a local reflector, please email jet@@nas.nasa.gov.) The glove-list software supports file transfer by email, the list manager (jet@@nas.nasa.gov) makes a serious attempt to have current versions of PowerGlove related software and mailing list archives available via the mail server. @node sci.virtual-worlds (sci.v-r), VRASP, The PowerGlove mailing list, Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section sci.virtual-worlds (sci.v-r) (From Bob Jacobson, past moderator of sci.v-r and the current moderating staff.) sci.virtual-worlds and its sibling, sci.virtual-worlds.apps, are newsgroups on the USENET covering developments in the field of virtual worlds technology and applications, respectively. These newsgroups, now three years old, serve an international community of over 15,000 regular participants with news, technology highlights and developments, scientific and philosophical issues, and discussions of how virtual worlds (also known as "virtual reality") are or will be used in various commercial and social settings. Newsgroup submissions should be sent to: Questions or comments should be sent to: The sci.virtual-worlds Moderating Group: MICHAEL ALMQUIST - Michael Almquist (aka. "squish") has been hanging out at the HITLab for over two years now after obtaining a BS in Computer Science. TONI EMERSON - Toni is Coordinator of the HITL Knowledge Base Project and Manager of the sci.virtual-worlds Moderating Group. DANIEL PIRONE - Daniel Pirone has a BS in Computer & Information Science. He is a HITL staff member, part of the Software Group. JERRY PROTHERO - Jerry is a Research Assistant at the HITLab, currently finishing his master's in Industrial Engineering. AARON KALEVA PULKKA - Aaron earned his B.S. in Computer Engineering at the University of Washington, where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Computer Science & Engineering. MARK TAKACS - Mark has just finished his master's thesis (Prolix: A text based participant system for VR) and spends more time than he can spare exploring the internet and programming Muds. A mailing list is kept by Prof. Greg Newby at the University of Illinois for those who cannot directly access s.v-w and s.v-w.a via the USENET. Requests to be added to this list should be sent to: gbnewby@@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu This is not an automatic operation; please be patient while Greg makes the necessary additions. The newsgroups are also featured on CompuServe, in the Arts Section, in abbreviated form; excerpts also appear on GEnie, BIX, and the WELL (in its vr conference). Welcome! The FAQ for s.v-w is at ftp.u.washington.edu, ./public/virtual-worlds/Meta-FAQ. The FAQ is posted monthly on the 13th. @node VRASP, Amiga and VR mailing list, sci.virtual-worlds (sci.v-r), Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section VRASP VRASP is an organization that you probably want to belong to. They are putting out quality information at a reasonable cost. Plus, it's tax deductible. (e-flyer courtesy of Mark Pflaging.) @center VRASP The Virtual Reality Alliance of Students and Professionals is a support network and educational forum dedicated to increasing public knowledge of virtual reality applications, and to furthering the development of VR technology as a whole. Our membership is global and diverse, and includes both lay- and professional programmers, researchers, inventors, graphic artists, writers, promoters, filmmakers and philosophers. We are presently functioning as a resource bank and referral network for those seeking information on VR and the VR community, distributing research and development findings as well as product and promotional information. We hold our own educationally-oriented meetings and events at which VRASP members get to socialize "ftf", sharing their eclectic knowledge and cooperatively pursuing a future where Virtual Reality @emph{is} a Reality. We are also the publishers of "PIX-Elation"; a bi-monthly 'zine featuring product surveys, event and convention reviews, lecture transcriptions, scanned and rendered graphics, an industry networking page and a calendar of upcoming industry events, as well as interviews with leading researchers, groundbreaking artists, and proponents of "homebrew" VR. "PIX" is written primarily by VRASP members, all of whom are invited to submit their articles, graphics, and findings. MEMBERSHIP Individual member dues are $30 per year inside the US. All other countries: $40. This includes bimonthly issues of PIX-Elation, regular admission to VRASP Chats and discounts at VRASP lectures and workshops. For special Business and Institutional Member Rates, please contact us. Volunteerism is strongly encouraged and will be rewarded by a special "Contributing Member" designation. This status will entitle you to special privileges, such as networking opportunities and the ability to hold office in the organization, as well as public acknowledgment in the newsletter and at conferences. CONTACT INFORMATION: Karin August President, VRASP Publisher, PIX-Elation PO Box 4139 Highland Park, NJ 08904-4139 Voice: (908) 463-VRVR Fax: (908) 580-0092 Internet: kaugust@@caip.rutgers.edu Tod Foley Director, VRASP Senior Editor, PIX-Elation 8055 Wakefield Ave Panorama City, CA 91402 Voice: (818) 786-6318 Fax/Modem: call to arrange Internet: asif@@well.sf.ca.us random@@cyberden.sf.ca.us random@@phantom.com @node Amiga and VR mailing list, trackers mailing list, VRASP, Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Amiga and VR mailing list Ethan Dicks has set up a discussion list for topics related to using the Amiga for VR. To subscribe, send mail to amigavr-list-request@@kumiss.cmhnet.org. @node trackers mailing list, WTK list, Amiga and VR mailing list, Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section trackers mailing list The trackers list usually covers 3d-related issues. Requests go to trackers-request@@qucis.queensu.ca. [1NOV93 I recieved email that this list is dead. Anyone confirm/deny? -eric] @node WTK list, rend386 mailing list, trackers mailing list, Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section WTK list From Terry Fong: The WorldToolKit Users' Group is intended to provide a contact point for users of Sense8 Corp.'s "WorldToolKit" to discuss and exchange information on a variety of topics. Among these are: @itemize @item 3D objects: modeling, importing/exporting to WTK NFF, sharing @item sensor drivers: development, reducing lag & latency @item managing user interaction @item efficient development of virtual environments with WTK @item distribution and sharing of virtual environments @item improving simulation performance (e.g., frame rate, quality) @item platform specific issues (e.g., GL queues on SGI machines) @item advocating WTK improvements/changes to Sense8 @end itemize The group has a mailing list which forwards email messages: sig-wtk@@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov. Anyone interested in joining the sig-wtk list should send email to: terry@@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov Terry Fong NASA Ames Research Center @node rend386 mailing list, ftp sites , WTK list, Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section REND386 mailing list REND386 mailing list. rend386 is a great rendering package for the 386, PG can be used as an input device (@pxref {REND386}). Contact: rend386-request@@sunee.uwaterloo.ca @node ftp sites , Misc Resources, rend386 mailing list, Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section ftp sites A good FTP site for general VR information is ftp.u.washington.edu:/pub/user-supported/virtual-worlds. This site is maintained by the folks who do sci.v-r on usenet. schmidt@@cogsci.uwo.ca has offered the use of cogsci.uwo.ca as a PowerGlove related ftp site. Check: /pub/vr for a variety of glove-list relted stuff. Someone at Apple has started a VR section at ftp.apple.com:/pub/VR. This site contains Jon Blossom's Gossamer along with other goodies for the Apple Mac. Please note that karazm.math.uh.edu is no longer the PowerGlove ftp site. @node Misc Resources, Other Power Glove people / Previous Works, ftp sites , Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section PCVR Magazine From the PCVR electronic flyer: PCVR, a new Virtual Reality publication, introduces high-tech Virtual Reality equipment, theories, and software to the layperson by simplifying procedures, languages, and materials. The equipment necessary for a Virtual Reality system usually costs over $25,000 and is primarily available to universities and businesses. PCVR changes this situation by bringing the technology into the home through tutorials and do-it-yourself projects. Through step-by-step articles, a complete Virtual Reality system can be built for under $3000 including the personal computer necessary to execute the system. For $26 a year, subscribers receive 6 issues which contain; editorials, thought-provoking columns, hardware/software topics, tutorials, and do-it-yourself projects. We also include a disk as a convenience to the reader, which contains all the software discussed in the articles. The hardware projects have covered connecting the Sega 3D glasses and Mattel Powerglove to an IBM personal computer, building a head mounted display, and constructing a head tracker device. These do-it-yourself projects use off-the-shelf components which enables a non-technical person access to Virtual Reality equipment in their own home. The tutorials explain the major technical areas of Virtual Reality without the jargon usually associated with industry journals. PCVR intends to bring Virtual Reality out of science laboratories and into the general computer community. Subscription Information (6 Issues): $26.00 US/Canada, $38.00 Overseas. Back Issues- All Are Available 1-9: $4.50 US/Canada, $6.50 Overseas Payment: Check or Money Order drawn on US bank in US dollars. VISA, Mastercard and American Express Issue Themes: @itemize @item Issue 1 - Theme: PowerGlove Interface - 28 Pages @item Issue 2 - Theme: PowerGlove Software - 35 Pages @item Issue 3 - Theme: Head Mounted Display and Sega 3D Glasses - 36 Pages @item Issue 4 - Theme: Rend386 Rendering Software - 45 Pages @item Issue 5 - Theme: Head Tracking - 36 Pages @item Issue 6 - Theme: 3D Sound - 36 Pages @item Issue 7 - Theme: VR Motion - 36 Pages @item Issue 8 - Theme: PCVR Renderer - 40 Pages @item Issue 9 - Theme: Build Your Own Head Mounted Display for $450 40 Pages @item Issue 10- Theme: Voice Recognition 40 Pages @item Issue 11- Theme: VR Connectivity 52 Pages @item Issue 12- Theme: Input Devices 64 Pages @item Issue 13- Theme: Head Tracking (27Dec1993) 64 Pages @end itemize PCVR can be contacted at: PCVR; PO Box 475; Stoughton, WI 53589; Phone/FAX: (608) 877 - 0909; EMAIL: pcvr@@fullfeed.com @node Other Power Glove people / Previous Works, , Misc Resources, Resources @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Other Power Glove people / Previous Works This is sort of a history, I'm not sure of the exact order, but the facts are sort of correct. First, there's the history of the PowerGlove itself. Rich Gold, in @cite{CyberArts} writes: [INSERT TEXT FROM CYBERARTS] @itemize @bullet @item Howard Eglowstein (sp?) had an article in the July 1990 issue of Byte showing how to hook the PG to an IBM PC's parallel port and decoding the lores mode. ("Reach out and touch your data", BYTE Vol 15, No 7 (July 1990) pp283-290) @item Mike Cargal and Paul King built a cable and wrote a driver to interface the glove in lores to the Amiga via the mouseport, this combo was called "PowerMouse". Work was done in 1990 and published in the 1991 issue of Amazing Computing's Tech magazine. The code is in Modula-2 and has shareware status. @item Greg Newby posted his results of decoding hires mode in sci.electronics. @item Manfred Krauss figured out the timing of hires mode and wrote some code to run hires on an Atari ST. @item Dave Stampe added some de-glitching and hysteresis code. @item Several people are using it as a MIDI input device. PCVR has released a racketball game based on rend386 that uses the PG and the Sega 3D glasses. @end itemize @node Hardware Interfaces, Software , Resources, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Hardware Interfaces @menu * AGE built a serial interface device and sold them to a few:: * Nugget/Goldbrick:: * Menelli box:: * PGSI:: @end menu @node AGE built a serial interface device and sold them to a few, Nugget/Goldbrick, Hardware Interfaces, Hardware Interfaces @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section AGE box AGE built a serial interface device and sold them to a few universities. They aren't generally available and have an almost mythical status. @node Nugget/Goldbrick, Menelli box, AGE built a serial interface device and sold them to a few, Hardware Interfaces @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Gold Brick Many users on the glove-list have used this box. Charlie S.Lindahl (lindahl@@cse.uta.edu) comments: I have done a lot of hacking around with the Transfinite Systems box on the Mac. Two points: @enumerate @item The PG sample code which comes with the box is not great (stylistically) and is written in MPW C. After much struggling I finally managed to extract the position sensing code into a standalone THINK C program. @item As it currently stands, the TRANSFINITE stuff only works consistently with system 6 of the MacOS. It DOES work with system 7, if you turn off 32-bit addressing and virtual memory. I've coaxed the assembly source code for the GOLDBRICK driver from Transfinite to try to port to sys7, but haven't had the time to hack it out yet. @end enumerate This information is taken from a flyer from Transfinite: @center GOLDBRICK: The Cyperspace Interface (tm) Summary: The Gold Brick (tm) is a device that connects the Apple Destop Buss (tm) to most controllers compatible with and to the Nintendo Entertainment System (tm). It allows you input from Broderbund UFORCE (tm), floor pad input from the Nintendo Power Pad(tm), tilt sensing with the Enteractive (tm) Roll&Rocker(tm), and POSITION SENSING WITH THE MATTEL POWER GLOVE (tm). With Macintosh support software (system 6.0.5 or later), Gold Brick can translate controller input into 2 or 3 dimensional motion and/or keystores as specified by the user. The controller and game deck interfaces are generally compatible with those of the Motorola SPI, National Semiconductor Microwire (R), and Signetics I2C type. According to the manufacturer the Gold Brick is already being used in the following systems: - controlling intractive multi-media - playing virtual instruments - giving audio feedback to speech-impaired infants - allowing viewers to walk through computer-deisgn structures - transforming inputs on a power pad to English sentences and music There are a number of models available depending on your needs and budget. They are summarized as follows: @example THE GOLD BRICK COMPARISON CHART: MODEL 1 MODEL 2 | Release 1 (1) | Release 2 | Release 1 | --------------------|---------------|---------------|--------------| Part Number, Retail | GBC-1, $195 | GBC-2, $245 | GBN-1, $169 | --------------------+---------------+---------------+--------------| Controllers support | | | | * Standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | * Power Pad | Yes | Yes | Yes | * "Unknown" type | Yes | Yes | Yes | * UFORCE | Yes | Yes | Yes | * POWER GLOVE | No | YES | YES | --------------------+---------------+---------------+--------------| Status Lights | Three | Three | None | --------------------+---------------+---------------+--------------| ADB Through port (2)| Yes | Yes | No | --------------------+---------------+---------------+--------------| Game Deck Cable | Yes | Yes | No | --------------------+---------------+---------------+--------------| Technical Manual (3)| Yes | Yes | No | --------------------+---------------+---------------+--------------| Upgradeable (4) | Yes | Yes | No | -------------------------------------------------------------------- Footnotes: (1) No longer available (2) Permits additional apple desktop bus devices to be attatched (3) Limited tech. doc. was included in GBC-1. A software tech. manual (REF-1), available separately, is included in GBC-2 (4) Uses a socketed single chip microprocessor that can be replaced with later versions. @end example ORDERING INFORMATION: Transfinite Systems Company, Inc.; PO BOX N, MIT Branch Post Office; Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Tel: (617) 969-9570; Applelink: D2002 @node Menelli box, PGSI, Nugget/Goldbrick, Hardware Interfaces @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Menelli box Ron Menelli built a 68HC11-based box that duplicates the AGE box. The schematics and code available via ftp at cogsci. They are available from the glove-list archive server as pg-hc11.zoo and pg-hc11.tar.Z. Several problems exist with building this box: 68HC11's aren't easy to come buy unless you're ordering a few thousand and two of the parts for the Menelli box will *not* be found a Radio Shack or Fry's, one will have to go mail order to some place such as DigiKey. @node PGSI, , Menelli box, Hardware Interfaces @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section PGSI The PGSI (PowerGlove Serial Interface) is a project from UIUC and promises to be the bestest cheapest way to use the PowerGlove with nearly any computer. The PGSI FAQ is maintained by Ben Gross (pgsi@@uiuc.edu) and can be ftp'd from FTP.cso.uiuc.edu (128.174.5.59) in /ACM/PGSI as PGSI.FAQ. Like most FAQs, it is irregularly posted to various newsgroups and mailing lists. The first batch of orders were shipped in mid 1993. There is talk of another production run, the PGSI FAQ should be checked for the latest data. @node Software , Basic Setup Instructions, Hardware Interfaces, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Software Many of the packages/programs listed here are available via the listserv at boxer.nas.nasa.gov. [IF YOU'RE USING A SPECIFIC PACKAGE, AND HAVE COMMENTS, LET ME KNOW. -JET] @menu * Amiga Software:: * Mac Software:: * PC Software:: * Unix:: @end menu @node Amiga Software, Mac Software, Software , Software @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Amiga Software The Amiga has the worst software selection at this time. There are only a handful of basic packages for getting glove data into the Amiga via the parallel port. Both packages work only on the A500/A2000 units. The author strongly advises anyone interested in doing glove-work on the Amiga to go to a serial-port based device such as the PGSI. 'amigahires.lzh' contains code to drive the glove in hires mode and grab packets from the parallel port. 'gt.lzh' contains code to grab data from a glove attached to a parallel port and dumps it out a port. Whiles this is The Right Way to do things on an Amiga, the code only runs correctly on 68000 based machines. 'glovetest.lha' (also 'gt.lzh') is a useful diagnostic tool that includes the above gt. @node Mac Software, PC Software, Amiga Software, Software @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Mac Software Jon Blossom's 'gossamer' package is available from ftp.apple.com. The "Max" package for the Mac has support for the Gold Brick. It is a development environment, so you will have to write code that translates glove movements into the actions you want from Max. Max is produced by Opcode, opcode@@well.sf.ca.us. @node PC Software, Unix, Mac Software, Software @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section PC Software O2GLOVE is a set of sources from VRASP ([CROSS REFERENCE]) to help you write your own PowerGlove applications for the PC. REND386 is a PC-based rendering library that supports the PG. Demo available by FTP from sunee.uwaterloo.ca:/pub/rend386/demo4.zip Source/developer's kit in /pub/rend386/devel4.zip O2GLOVE is well suited for serious glove use and programming. If you are more interested in producing VR environments and less interested in programming, REND386 is probably the way to go. @menu * REND386:: * O2GLOVE:: @end menu @node REND386, O2GLOVE, PC Software, PC Software @comment node-name, next, previous, up @subsection REND386 From the rend386 distribution: @center REND386 -- A 3-D Polygon Rendering Package for the 386 and 486 @center Written by Dave Stampe and Bernie Roehl @center DEMO4 Documentation @center Version 4.10 - August 1992 This document describes how to use the new REND386 demo, called "demo4.exe". To run the demo, just type "demo4" or "demo4 filename" where 'filename' is the name of a .plg file, a .fig file, or a .wld file you want to have loaded. The demo4.exe program is designed to illustrate some of the capabilities of REND386, a polygon rendering library for 386 and 486 systems with VGA displays. The libraries are available for free; the only reason for making the demo a separate set of files is to give people who aren't interested in writing software a chance to see just what can be done on widely-available hardware. The system is fast. How fast, you ask? Well, speed is not a straightforward thing to measure. There is a relationship between the speed of the processor, the complexity of the scene, and the number of frames per second. With this software, a 512-polygon scene can be rendered at speeds up to 15 frames/second on a 486/25; this corresponds to a speed of over 7000 polys/second. If you have a 486/33, it'll go slightly faster; if you have a 386/33, it'll go slightly slower. You get the idea. If you want more frames/second, use a simpler scene (i.e. fewer polygons). To use this demo, you MUST have a 386 or 486; it will not run at all on a 286 or below. You must also have a standard VGA display. This version now support stereoscopic viewing; the assumption is that you have the Sega 3D glasses and the interface described in sega.txt installed. @node O2GLOVE, , REND386, PC Software @comment node-name, next, previous, up @subsection O2GLOVE From the O2GLOVE distribution: Object Glove is an object oriented driver for Mattel's Nintendo Power Glove connected to the parallel port of a PC. It is written in C++ for Borland C++ 3.1. The code has many features that make it accessible, extensible, and easy to incorporate into existing applications. First, it runs on a wide variety of PCs, from '286s to '486s, without modification. Second, it is interrupt driven, which means the sampling takes place at regular intervals without requiring any attention from the application program. Thirdly, the programming interface is extremely simple. Since the program is object oriented, any future improvements to the driver would be transparent to the applications that use it. More advanced processing of the glove input can be handled by deriving classes from the main driver class. Lastly, the code is Windows compatible. Object Glove supports the simultaneous use of two gloves. (Support for more gloves is possible but not planned.) Object Glove is the only publicly available product with this capability. There are several programs that make use of Object Glove. Included is a demo program that displays a line drawing of a hand. The hand moves around on the screen based on the movements of the Power Glove. There are two versions of the demo program, one for DOS and one for Windows. In the DOS version, user definable gestures are displayed on the screen when they are recognized. In the Windows version, gesture recognition can be associated with system sounds. These sounds are played through the Windows 3.1 Multimedia Interface, thus the sounds are also user-definable. Also, a version of Rend386 has been included that utilizes Object Glove. Rend386 is a freeware ``virtual reality'' program that allows navigation though a three dimensional world. Rend386 is customizable and allows the creation of new virtual worlds. Rend386 was written by Dave Stampe and Bernie Roehl. Court Jesture, supplied with Object Glove, is a gesture recognition system. It operates in real time, allows definition of gestures by the end user, and dispenses the gestures selectively to application objects in an object-oriented way. Gestures can be grouped into ``sets'' and gesture sets can be activated and deactivated dynamically by the application. When two gloves are used, each glove can have separate gesture sets or the same gesture sets. As with Object Glove, it works under DOS and Windows and has been combined with Rend386. Summary of features: @itemize @item Object Oriented C++ @item Access one or two Power Gloves on one PC parallel port @item Works under DOS and Windows, and with Rend386 @item Features gesture recognition @item Comes with several sample applications @item Available as a library or as source code @item Includes over 60 pages of printed documentation @item Low cost with no runtime fee, multi-user packs available @end itemize This product is available through VRASP, the Virtual Reality Alliance of Students and Professionals. VRASP also has Power Gloves, PC-to-Power Glove connectors, and other low-cost Virtual Reality items for sale. VRASP is a non-profit, educational organization devised to increase public knowledge of virtual reality and further the development of VR technology. Membership in VRASP includes six issues of our popular newsletter Pix-Elation, containing a wealth of "inside" VR information and insightful articles. A comprehensive demo program is available on the Internet. The demo includes DOS and Windows executables, and a version of Rend386 that supports two gloves and gesture recognition. You can use glove gestures to fly around in worlds. The demo also includes a Windows program to move the "mouse" cursor with a glove. Instructions for building a one or two glove connector are included. Some sample source code is included, but in order to fully compile the demo programs you need to buy the library. To get the demo program, anonymous FTP as follows: Host name: sunee.uwaterloo.ca Directory: /pub/glove File name: objglv.exe The file is a self-extracting archive. It is advisable to transfer this file in the evening when net traffic is low. Make sure to use BINARY mode! @node Unix, , PC Software, Software @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Unix With the general availability of the PGSI, we'll probably see more codes for the PowerGlove on UNIX platforms. There exist a couple of packages for older NeXT computers and SGI's, but they require more hardware than just a serial port. @node Basic Setup Instructions, Related homebrew stuff, Software , Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Getting Started With any platform, your basic steps are going to be: @enumerate @item Figure out what platform you're going to use. @item Decide which interface for the glove you're going to use and what software. Your choices might be limited due to the platform you're using, your programming skills, and available hardware. @item Plug everything together. @end enumerate This section is intended for rough instructions for various platforms. It's going to be empty the longest, simply because I don't have access to lots of different hardware. If you'd like to submit some guidelines/instructions for a specific platform, feel free. @menu * Amiga Setup:: * Mac Setup:: * PC Setup:: * Unix Box Setup:: @end menu @node Amiga Setup, Mac Setup, Basic Setup Instructions, Basic Setup Instructions @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Amiga Setup options: @itemize @bullet @item hires via parallel @itemize @item hack a cable @item use glovetest/amigahires @item timing problems on A3000 series, and probably the A1200/4000 series make it easier to use a PGSI or a menelli box. @end itemize @item hires via serial/PGSI|Menelli box @item lores via joystick port. can use any nintendo controller as well, since lores just mimics the controller. @end itemize @node Mac Setup, PC Setup, Amiga Setup, Basic Setup Instructions @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Mac Setup @itemize @item Gold Brick @item PGSI @end itemize @node PC Setup, Unix Box Setup, Mac Setup, Basic Setup Instructions @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section PC Setup whole list of possibilities: @itemize @item PCVR instructions @item BYTE article @item hires via roll-your-own parallel @item hires via serial box @item lores via joyport. @end itemize @node Unix Box Setup, , PC Setup, Basic Setup Instructions @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Unix Box Setup @itemize @item PGSI|Menelli on serial. @item write your own UNIX device driver. @end itemize @node Related homebrew stuff, Supplies/Mail Order, Basic Setup Instructions, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Related homebrew stuff @menu * PowerGlove NES games:: * Sega glasses:: * Toshiba goggles:: * UForce controller:: @end menu @node PowerGlove NES games, Sega glasses, Related homebrew stuff, Related homebrew stuff @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section PowerGlove NES games The following games were produced for use with the PowerGlove on the NES: Bad Street Brawler, Glove Pilot, SuperGloveBall, Manipulator, Maze Ball. SuperGloveBall is supposedly the game to have for the 8bit NES. @node Sega glasses, Toshiba goggles, PowerGlove NES games, Related homebrew stuff @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Sega glasses Sega had a game that competed with the NES called "Sega Master system". One of the neat doodads Sega made was a set of LCD shutter glasses, similar to Haitex goggles (and the shutter glasses many SGI visualization tools support). They are discontinued, and don't seem to be in most stores. SEGA used to sell refurbished units, but they're out as well. @node Toshiba goggles, UForce controller, Sega glasses, Related homebrew stuff @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Toshiba goggles supposedly better than sega. [FIND OUT FROM alt.3d?] @node UForce controller, , Toshiba goggles, Related homebrew stuff @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section UForce controller Broderbund makes/sells a NES-controller compatible 3space sensor. Two plates at right angles contain a set of infrared emitters and detectors. It has an NES-controller-mode and (yet another) "analog" mode. No one has decoded the analog information and made it available to the net. The UForce is currently available. This is Ethan Dicks' UForce FAQ: Ethan Dicks Version 1.0 24-Mar-1992 "Uforce 101..." The Uforce has 9 total IR emitters and detectors of which 8 may be active at any given time. The four configuration switches are divided into two functional groups. The first three select a sample mode which determines how the Uforce will present the data to the host and the last switch selects which of two particular sensors is active. Seven of the eight possible arrangements of the first three config switches places the Uforce into "Threshold mode" wherin the device compares the values of the various sensors against known thresholds in ROM and provides the host with a standard NES 8 bit packet containing up/down/left/right/select/start/A/B information. When all three switches are down, the Uforce is placed into "Analog mode" wherin a multi-byte packet with raw information about each IR sensor is provided to the host. The format is as follows... (all values in hex) @example Flag S 7 S 6 S 5 S 4 S 3 S 2 S 1 S 0 FC-FF* 01-FB 01-FB 01-FB 01-FB 01-FB 01-FB 01-FB 01-FB FF = no buttons pressed FE = START pressed FD = SELECT pressed FC = START & SELECT pressed @end example The flag byte is easy to spot because it is always over FC. If 00 is ever read, it should be discarded because the Uforce is still aquiring data (this can take up to 10 milliseconds to complete); 00 is never valid data. There must be a 150 microsecond delay between bytes; this is an NES restriction. Any routine which is able to read in a single byte from a standard NES controller can be used to read the Uforce in Analog mode; unlike the PowerGlove in hires mode, the Uforce uses fairly standard techniques for sending data back to the host. The sensor map is arranged as follows... @example +------ 0 ------+ | 2 1 | | | | 3 5 | +---------------+ | 4 | | | | 7 6 | +------ 5 ------+ Sensor 5 is controlled by the right most config switch (#4) @end example @node Supplies/Mail Order, Wierd Info - Triva - References, Related homebrew stuff, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Supplies/Mail Order Hacking PowerGloves requires access to information and supplies that aren't found in obvious locations. @menu * Scrounging:: * Mail Order:: * Stores:: @end menu @node Scrounging, Mail Order, Supplies/Mail Order, Supplies/Mail Order @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Scrounging Scrounging is probably your best bet for things like PowerGloves, UForces controllers, and other goodies. The San Francisco bay area and greater Houston areas each sport one or more computer junk stores. In San Jose, try "Wierd Stuff Warehouse" and "HalTed Electronics". In Houston, try "EDS", on the west side. Generic resale/thirft shops such as Salvation Army aren't always worth the trouble, as they tend to toss things out that they can't obviously test or that have no obvious function. They're also wise to corporations trying to 'donate' broken junk. Good place to get clothes to be cut up and modified for input gear. Garage sales are another big win. I was having horrible luck finding anything other than broken lawn furniture until a neighbor explained the 'right way' to garage sale: check ads in the paper the day before, start early enough that you hit several sales as they start and remember that you can probably talk down people on their prices. Most importantly, don't let on that the PowerGlove they're asking $10 for usually goes for more than $30. If nothing else, it won't hurt to post to sci.v-r, the glove-list or related groups your "want list". @node Mail Order, Stores, Scrounging, Supplies/Mail Order @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Mail Order DigiKey (XXX-XXX-XXXX) is a popular mail-order house with many homebrew folks. They stock a large selection of components and whatnot. [ANYONE HAVE THEIR NUMBER HANDY? -ERIC] FringeWare does mailorder of lots of stuff. [INSERT REFERENCE. -ERIC] Nintendo extension cables are available from MCM Electronics; 650 Congress Park Drive; Dayton, Ohio; 45459-9955; 800.543.4330. The cable is called a "Nintendo Type Joystick Extension Cable", part# 83-0325. If you're short an L-bar, you can order one from Mattel: Mattel Toys; 7676 Reinhold Road; Cincinatti, OH; 45237. @node Stores, , Mail Order, Supplies/Mail Order @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Stores Fry's is a large chain of stores that try to be to electronics what supermarkets are to food. Fry's in the SF Bay area usually carry: Macs, PCs, EO's, Newtons, Zoomers, home entertainment, electronic components, tools, software, magazines, personal hygene supplies and junk food. (Great prices on soda by the case.) Radio Shack is still in business, regardless of their best attempts to do otherwise. Their prices are outrageous compared to larger PC chains like Fry's, even for things like a handful of resistors. They'll do anything to get your name and address so they can kill trees to send you ads for stuff you don't want. Don't bother with Radio Shack unless you have no other choice. Feel free to submit information on your local electronics supplier. @node Wierd Info - Triva - References, Legal Issues, Supplies/Mail Order, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Wierd Info, Triva, References Time to get obscure. Thanks to all who provided information and ideas. The PG was designed by Chris Gentile (the "G" of AGE) and someone named "Novak" at Mattel. If you meet either of them, do whatever it takes to ply their brains for all the information you can get. The finger sensors are made by Amtec International 3653 West 1987 South Salt Lake City, UT 84104 USA Tel. (801) 977-0359 PowerGloves are becoming hard to find. You might want to try looking at Toys R' Us immediately, but you're probably too late. After that, hit any chain that ever sold Nintendo gear (@pxref{Supplies/Mail Order}). The coolest thing thus far is the original, official, PowerGlove carrying case. Found for around $12 (half what a glove usually costs) at a Toys R' Us in Los Angeles area. @menu * References:: @end menu @node References, , Wierd Info - Triva - References, Wierd Info - Triva - References @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section References A variety of references on PowerGloves and homebrew VR. If you have more to add, or corrections, please submit. (Also, if you know a good way to use BiBTeX with texinfo, let me know that as well.) A whole slew of homebrew-style VR books have hit the shelves from mass-market publixhers (like Sams). I hope to have some references for these in the next version of the FAQ. @example - Gardner, Dana L. "The Power Glove", Design News. 4-Dec-89 pp63-68 (history of design and marketing of the PG, not very technical.) - Jacobson, Linda. _CyberArts_ [COMPLETE CITATION] - Jacobson, Linda. (new book on garage VR) - Pausch, R. "Virtual Reality on Five Dollars a Day". Proceedings of ACM SIGCHI Human Factors in Computer Systems Conference, New Orleans April 1991. Text file might be available for FTP from HITL: milton.u.washington.edu, in /public/virtual-worlds/papers - "VPL Virtually Gone. (VPL Research loses control of its patents to Thomson CSF)", MacUser. March, 1993, v9(n3). p45(1). - Zimmerman, Thomas G. et al. "A Hand Gesture Interface Device". Proceedings of CHI+GI '87, ACM 1987. pp190-192. (really about the prototype of the DataGlove, but also discusses a cheaper "Z-Glove" [Zimmerman Glove?] that used ultrasonics for tracking and was used with a CBM64 computer. Probably the "original" PG.) - Zimmerman, Thomas G and Lanier, Jaron Z. "Computer Data Entry and Manipulation Apparatus and Method", VPL Research Inc. US Patent 4,988,981. Redwood City, CA (USA). Jan 29 1991. - Zimmerman, Thomas G. "Optical Flex Sensor", Sept 17 1985 US Patent 4,542,291 @end example @node Legal Issues, Other Gloves, Wierd Info - Triva - References, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Legal Issues @center THE AUTHOR IS NOT A LAYWER. THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE. That being said, there's not much you have to worry about while hacking the PowerGlove. As long as you use other people's software with respect to their copyright and licensing agreement and give people credit where it's due, you should be in the clear legally. If you decide, however, to build stuff from scratch, you should be aware of existing patents on hardware/software. @menu * Patents:: * League for Programming Freedom:: @end menu @node Patents, League for Programming Freedom, Legal Issues, Legal Issues @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Patents It is the personal opinion of the author that vaguely stated patents covering broad areas hinder the virutal reality industry more than help it. That being said, the following are some important patents you should take a look at. In particular, VPL (or whomever owns them this week) owns a patent covering the 'manipulation of virtual objects in a computer system' (see below). VPL sued Jim Kramer of Virtual Technologies over a glove input device that competed with the DataGlove. VPL lost the suit and Virtual Technologies continues to produce their gloves. (The author does not know why the suit was lost, if VPL retracted, or the current status of the patent.) Selected patents: @itemize @bullet @item US Patent 3,022,878 'Communication device' Patented Feb. 27, 1962 Robert Seibel, Putnam Valley, Nathaniel Rochester IBM A further object of this invention is to provide a keyboard into which the hand is inserted, much as the hand is inserted into a glove. Such a keyboard is adaptable to being fitted into a glove. @item US Patent 4,414,537 'Digital data entry glove interface device' Patented Nov. 8, 1983 Gary J.Grimes, Bell Telephone Lab. Inc A man-machine interface is disclosed for translating discrete hand positions into electrical signals representing alpha-numeric characters @item US Patent 4,542,291 'Optical flex sensor' Patented Sep. 17, 1985 Thomas G. Zimmerman. VPL Research Inc. The instant invention relate generally to position detectors and more specifically it relates to an optical flex sensor that produces an output signal in response to bending A further object is to provide an optical flex sensor that uses inexpensive common materials and is assembled either by hand or with simple tools. @item US Patent 4,988,981 'Computer data entry and manipulation apparatus and methods' Patented Jan. 29, 1991 Thomas G.Zimmerman, Jaron Z.Lanier VPL Research Inc. Apparatus is disclosed for generating control signals for the manipulation of virtual objects in a computer system according to the gesture and position of an operator's hand or other body part. The apparatus includes a glove worn on the hand which includes sensors for detecting the gestures of the hand, as well as hand position sensing means coupled to the glove and to the computer system for detecting the position of the hand with respect to the system. @end itemize @node League for Programming Freedom, , Patents, Legal Issues @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section League for Programming Freedom The League for Programming Freedom is dedicated to ending software patents and user interface copyrights. The following is from one of their electronic fliers: Ten years ago, programmers were allowed to write programs using all the techniques they knew, and providing whatever features they felt were useful. This is no longer the case. New monopolies, known as software patents and interface copyrights, have taken away our freedom of expression and our ability to do a good job. "Look and feel" lawsuits attempt to monopolize well-known command languages; some have succeeded. Copyrights on command languages enforce gratuitous incompatibility, close opportunities for competition, and stifle incremental improvements. Software patents are even more dangerous; they make every design decision in the development of a program carry a risk of a lawsuit, with draconian pretrial seizure. It is difficult and expensive to find out whether the techniques you consider using are patented; it is impossible to find out whether they will be patented in the future. The League for Programming Freedom is a grass-roots organization of professors, students, businessmen, programmers and users dedicated to bringing back the freedom to write programs. The League is not opposed to the legal system that Congress intended--copyright on individual programs. Our aim is to reverse the recent changes made by judges in response to special interests, often explicitly rejecting the public interest principles of the Constitution. The League works to abolish the new monopolies by publishing articles, talking with public officials, boycotting egregious offenders, and in the future may intervene in court cases. On May 24, 1989, the League picketed Lotus headquarters on account of their lawsuits, and then again on August 2, 1990. These marches stimulated widespread media coverage for the issue. We welcome suggestions for other activities, as well as help in carrying them out. For more information, send email to league@@prep.ai.mit.edu or physical mail to: @example League for Programming Freedom 1 Kendall Square #143 P.O.Box 9171 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 @end example @node Other Gloves, , Legal Issues, Top @comment node-name, next, previous, up @chapter Other Gloves Maybe you've got enough of a budget that you don't want to bother with hacking PowerGloves. The following are other glove options that I'm aware of and information I've received from those companies as of this writing. @menu * CyberGlove (TM):: * Exos:: * VPL DataGlove:: @end menu @node CyberGlove (TM), Exos, Other Gloves, Other Gloves @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section CyberGlove (TM) The CyberGlove features include: @itemize @item Up to 22 sensors, three flex sensors and abduction per finger, plus thumb cross-over, palm arch, wrist flexion and abduction @item Sensor output depends only on true angle of finger joints and is independent of joint radius or curvature. @item Sample at 100Hz or poll for input. @item Glove material is nylon/lycra blend, fingers and palm are removed for typing ease. @end itemize Virtual Technologies 2175 Park Blvd Palo Alto, CA 94306 USA 415.321.4900 @node Exos, VPL DataGlove, CyberGlove (TM), Other Gloves @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Exos Exos produces an exo-skeleton glove. [ANYONE HAVE CONTACT INFO? -ERIC] @node VPL DataGlove, , Exos, Other Gloves @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section VPL DataGlove Yeah, like you can afford one. @contents @bye .