MINOR SEMESTER PROJECT

FOR 3RD SEMESTER [2023-27]

Project topic: Sign glove developed using

Arduino Uno

Department: Electrical Engineering

Members:
 Souradeep Debray [12023052011031]
 Swapnil Sinha [12023052011038]
 Shankha Shubhra Chatterjee [12023052011015]
 Ritav Banerjee [12023052011010]
 Saptarshi Mondal [12023052011048]
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Head

of the Department of Electrical Engineering for their
invaluable support and guidance throughout the course
of this project. Their encouragement, expertise, and
insightful feedback have been instrumental in shaping
this work and bringing it to fruition. I am deeply
appreciative of the resources and opportunities
provided under their leadership, which have significantly
enhanced my understanding and enriched my research
experience. Thank you for your unwavering support and
dedication to fostering academic growth and innovation
within the department.
 INTRODUCTION

The "Sign Glove" is a groundbreaking assistive device

engineered to facilitate communication for individuals
who rely on sign language but often encounter
communication barriers with those unfamiliar with it.
This project addresses a critical accessibility need by
converting American Sign Language (ASL) gestures into
readable text in real-time, thereby empowering users to
communicate more freely and effectively in diverse
settings. At its core, the Sign Glove leverages Arduino
technology paired with flexible sensors that measure
finger positions, enabling the glove to detect the
bending and positioning of each finger with precision.

The flex sensors, strategically embedded in the glove,

vary in resistance as fingers bend, sending unique signals
that represent different letters or gestures. These signals
are then processed by an Arduino microcontroller, which
translates them into digital data. This data is then
transmitted to a paired app, displaying the
corresponding letters or words as text, allowing non-sign
language users to read and understand the message.
This seamless conversion of gestures to text represents a
step toward breaking down communication barriers,
enhancing independence, and supporting inclusivity for
users in both personal and professional environments.
In addition to its practical applications, the Sign Glove
exemplifies the fusion of electronics, programming, and
human-centered design. The project required careful
calibration and testing of sensor sensitivity and
response, ensuring that each hand gesture corresponds
to the intended letter or word without ambiguity. The
wearable design prioritizes user comfort and ease of
use, making it suitable for a range of hand sizes and
providing a natural experience for users familiar with
sign language.

The significance of this project extends beyond the

individual benefits for users; it represents a step forward
in assistive technology, offering a cost-effective and
portable solution to one of the pervasive challenges
faced by the speech and hearing-impaired community.
As technology continues to evolve, projects like the Sign
Glove highlight the potential for accessible and
affordable devices to transform everyday interactions,
helping to build a more inclusive world.
 OBJECTIVES

The main objective of the Sign Glove project is to design

a user-friendly, wearable device that facilitates
communication for individuals with speech or hearing
impairments by translating hand gestures into text. This
device aims to capture the gestures of American Sign
Language (ASL) through flex sensors embedded in a
glove, and then process the data using an Arduino
microcontroller. By converting these hand movements
into readable text in real-time, the Sign Glove creates an
innovative communication tool for individuals who face
challenges when interacting with non-sign language
users.

In addition to enabling real-time gesture recognition, the

project focuses on creating a glove that is not only
functional but also comfortable and easy to use. The
design considers ergonomics, ensuring that it fits a
variety of hand sizes and allows for natural hand
movements. The glove is intended to be a lightweight,
portable solution that can be used in everyday
situations, whether at work, school, or social settings.
One key goal is to ensure that the glove is an affordable
and accessible option, using low-cost materials and
components to make it available to a wide user base.
Another crucial objective is ensuring that the Sign Glove
can wirelessly transmit its outputs to a mobile device or
display. This would enable users to interact with people
who do not understand sign language, thus bridging
communication gaps in real time. Moreover, the system
is designed to be scalable, allowing for future updates
and improvements, such as the inclusion of more
complex gesture recognition systems or compatibility
with different languages and dialects.

Overall, the project seeks to contribute to inclusivity and

accessibility by reducing communication barriers for
those with speech impairments. The Sign Glove has the
potential to greatly improve the quality of life for its
users, offering a simple, reliable, and scalable solution
for daily communication. Through this project, the aim is
to make sign language communication more accessible
and efficient, promoting greater social interaction and
integration for people with hearing and speech
disabilities.
 RESULTS

The results of the "Sign Glove" project revealed several

key successes and areas for further development. The
primary goal of translating hand gestures into readable
text was largely achieved, with the flex sensors
successfully detecting finger positions and sending
appropriate signals to the Arduino microcontroller.
These signals were processed and translated into text,
which was displayed on a connected mobile device,
confirming the feasibility of the system.

The system demonstrated a high degree of accuracy in

detecting simple gestures for individual letters, such as
the American Sign Language (ASL) alphabet. In practice,
the system worked reliably when the user’s hand
gestures were clear and consistent, particularly in ideal
conditions where the user maintained a steady hand
position. The translation from hand gestures to text
occurred in real-time, offering a tangible communication
solution for individuals with speech and hearing
impairments. The wireless communication between the
glove and the mobile app was also successful, providing
users with the ability to communicate with those who
are not familiar with sign language.
 However, there were
challenges
encountered during
testing. One of the
primary difficulties
was ensuring
consistent and
precise gesture
recognition across
varying hand sizes
and different users. Calibration of the flex sensors was a
key challenge, as the sensors sometimes exhibited
inconsistent readings based on factors like finger
positioning, sensor alignment, and external factors such
as temperature or pressure. As a result, some gestures
required multiple attempts to be recognized correctly,
leading to occasional delays in text output. These
inconsistencies impacted the overall performance of the
device in real-world usage scenarios, especially when
trying to capture more complex or nuanced hand
gestures.

Another area that needs improvement is the glove’s

comfort and fit. While the device was designed to be
wearable and lightweight, the glove itself did not
perfectly conform to every user’s hand, which could lead
to discomfort or suboptimal sensor readings. Further
adjustments to the design would be necessary to ensure
that the glove fits a broader range of users and can be
comfortably worn for extended periods without
affecting sensor functionality.

Despite these challenges, the project successfully

demonstrated the potential of wearable technology to
assist individuals with communication impairments. The
results show that the Sign Glove can serve as an
effective communication tool, especially in controlled
environments. Moving forward, enhancements to sensor
accuracy, gesture recognition algorithms, and overall
glove design will be essential for improving the system’s
reliability and user-friendliness. Additionally,
incorporating feedback from real-world testing and
expanding the range of gestures it can recognize will
enhance the glove’s versatility and effectiveness in more
diverse communication settings.

The circuit diagram can be found below:

 CODE

int a = 0;

int b = 0;

int c = 0;

int d = 0;

int e = 0;

void setup()
{
pinMode(A0, INPUT);
pinMode(A1, INPUT);
pinMode(A2, INPUT);
pinMode(A3, INPUT);
pinMode(A4, INPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);

void loop()
{
a = analogRead(A0); //thumb
c = analogRead(A1); //index
 d = analogRead(A2); //middle
b = analogRead(A3); //ring
e = analogRead(A4); //little
{
if (a < 900 && b > 900 && c > 900 && d > 900 && e >
900 && a > 800 ) {
Serial.println("a");
}
{
if (a > 900 && b < 900 && c < 900 && e < 900 ) {
Serial.println("b");
}

if (a > 900 && b < 900 && c > 900 && d > 800 && e >
900 ) {
Serial.println("d");
}
}
if (a > 900 && b > 900 && c > 900 && d > 900 && e >
900 ) {
Serial.println("e");
}
if (a > 900 && b > 900 && c < 890 && e < 890 ) {
Serial.println("f");
}
if (a < 900 && b < 900 && c > 890 && d > 890 && e >
890 && a > 800 ) {
Serial.println("g");
}
 if (a < 900 && b < 900 && c < 900 && d > 870 && e >
900 ) {
Serial.println("h");
}
if (a > 900 && b > 900 && c > 900 && d > 900 && e <
900 ) {
Serial.println("i");
}
if (a < 900 && b > 900 && c > 900 && d > 900 && e <
900 && a > 800 ) {
Serial.println("j");
}
if (a > 900 && b < 900 && c < 900 && d > 900 && e >
900 ) {
Serial.println("k");
}
if (a < 800 && b < 900 && c > 900 && d > 900 && e >
900 ) {
Serial.println("l");
}
if (a < 800 && b > 900 && c > 900 && d > 900 && e <
900 ) {
Serial.println("m");
}
if (a < 820 && b > 900 && c > 900 && d < 900 && e <
900 ) {
Serial.println("n");
}
 if (a > 820 && b < 900 && c < 900 && d < 900 && e >
900 ) {
Serial.println("o");
}
if (a < 880 && b < 910 && c > 900 && d > 900 && e <
890 ) {
Serial.println("p");
}
if (a < 850 && b < 900 && c > 900 && d < 920 && e <
890 ) {
Serial.println("q");
}
if (a < 790 && b < 900 && c < 900 && d > 920 && e >
890 ) {
Serial.println("r");
}
if (a < 960 && b > 900 && c > 900 && d > 920 && e >
890 && a > 940 ) {
Serial.println("s");
}
if (a < 800 && b > 900 && d < 920 && e < 890 ) {
Serial.println("t");
}
if (a > 900 && b < 900 && d > 900 && e < 900 ) {
Serial.println("u");
}
if (a > 900 && b < 900 && d < 900 && e < 900 && c >
900 ) {
Serial.println("v");
 }
if (a < 900 && b < 900 && d < 900 && e < 900 && c >
900 ) {
Serial.println("w");
}
if (a > 900 && b > 900 && d < 900 && e < 900 && c >
900 ) {
Serial.println("x");
}
if (a > 800 && b > 900 && d < 900 && e > 900 && c >
900 ) {
Serial.println("y");
}
if (a > 900 && b > 900 && d < 900 && e < 900 && c >
900 ) {
Serial.println("z");
}

delay(2500);
}}

This coding enables the working of the glove.

 CONCLUSION

The "Sign Glove" project successfully demonstrated the

potential of using wearable technology to bridge
communication gaps for individuals with speech and
hearing impairments. Through the use of flex sensors
and an Arduino microcontroller, the glove effectively
translated hand gestures into real-time text. This
breakthrough provides a tangible solution for those
relying on sign language to communicate with
individuals who do not understand it, thus promoting
inclusivity and accessibility.

Despite the project's success, several challenges were

encountered during testing. One key issue was the
calibration and accuracy of the flex sensors. Variations in
hand size and finger movement sometimes led to
inconsistent readings, which caused delays in translating
gestures into text. Additionally, the glove’s design, while
functional, required further optimization for comfort
and fit, especially to accommodate a wider range of
hand sizes. These limitations, though significant,
provided valuable insights into the areas that need
refinement in future iterations of the device.

The project also highlighted the importance of a

seamless connection between the glove and the mobile
app, which worked as intended by transmitting gesture
data wirelessly. This functionality is vital for ensuring
that users can easily share their messages with those
unfamiliar with sign language. However, there is
potential to further enhance the system by improving
the user interface of the mobile app to make it more
intuitive and easy to navigate for all users.

Despite the hurdles, the Sign Glove project represents a

significant step forward in assistive technology. The
prototype showcases the power of affordable, accessible
technology in solving real-world communication
problems. By translating hand gestures into text, the
device offers an innovative solution for improving
interaction between people with speech impairments
and those without knowledge of sign language. The
project also demonstrates the scalability of assistive
technologies, showing that future developments could
further expand the device’s capabilities, such as
supporting multiple languages or complex gestures.

Looking ahead, the next phase of the project should

focus on refining the existing technology. Improving the
sensitivity and calibration of the flex sensors, ensuring a
more comfortable fit for users, and enhancing the
software to recognize more diverse gestures will be
critical to making the Sign Glove more reliable and
versatile. Additionally, the integration of more advanced
algorithms for gesture recognition could allow the glove
to interpret more complex forms of sign language,
making it even more useful for everyday
communication.

Ultimately, the Sign Glove offers a promising foundation

for the future of assistive communication devices. As the
project progresses and technology continues to improve,
this wearable solution has the potential to become a
widely adopted tool that fosters greater inclusivity,
independence, and accessibility for individuals with
hearing and speech impairments, empowering them to
communicate more effectively and participate more fully
in society.