Gloves that are wired with sensors can provide useful information about a user's motions, and they offer a novel way to interact with computers beyond the keyboard and mouse. At the end of May, AnthroTronix, a company based in Silver Spring, MD, released its first commercial version of the AcceleGlove, a programmable glove that records hand and finger movements. Other gloves--like 5DT's Data Glove, used primarily in virtual reality--normally cost $1,000 to $5,000, but the AcceleGlove costs just $499. It comes with software that lets developers use Java to program it for any application they wish. AnthroTronix initially developed the glove with the U.S. Department of Defense for robotic control. The glove could also be used in video games, sports training, or physical rehabilitation.

A. Accelerometers
An accelerometer rests just below each fingertip and on the back of the hand. When the user's hand moves, the accelerometers can detect the three-­dimensional orientation of the fingers and palm with respect to Earth's gravity. Measured to within a few degrees, this information allows programs to distinguish even very slight changes in hand position.