Glove v3-left

eidon-glove

A robust 16-DOF hand/finger tracking wearable standard Bluetooth Human Interface Device (BLE HID) designed for humanoid teleoperation and collecting embodied AI training datasets.

Features

• 16-DOF Finger Tracking: Full hand tracking with 16 Hall effect sensors for precise joint angle measurement
• Wireless Connectivity: Standard BLE HID protocol (~100Hz wireless transmission)
• Multi-Mode Support: Generic HID and gamepad modes with custom firmware
• 9-DOF Orientation Tracking: Optional BNO085 IMU integration (Accelerometer/Gyro/Magnetometer)
• Custom Hardware: Purpose-built PCB with analog multiplexer for efficient sensor management
• ESP32-C3 MCU: Built-in BLE, WiFi, and battery charging capabilities
• All-Day Battery: 3.7V 2000mAh lithium polymer battery with power management
• Wearable Design: Fully 3D printable exoskeleton optimized for comfort and accuracy
• Power Management: Integrated power switch and LED status indicators

Hardware Architecture

Core Components

• Microcontroller: Seeed XIAO ESP32-C3 (RISC-V 32-bit @ 160MHz)
• Sensors: 16x Hall effect sensors + magnets for joint tracking
• IMU: BNO085 9-DOF sensor (optional)
• Multiplexer: Analog multiplexer for sensor input management
• Battery: 3.7V 2000mAh Li-Po with ETA4054S2F charging chip

BOM

• Seeed XIAO ESP32-C3 [Amazon]
• Hall Effect Sensor [Amazon]
• BNO085 IMU Module [Amazon]
• Adjustable Hand Strap [Amazon]
• Finger Velcro Loops [Amazon]
• Wire Zip Ties [Amazon]
• M2 Screws [Amazon]
• Lipo Battery [Amazon]
• Power Switch [Amazon]
• Status LED [Amazon]
• JST Connectors + Wires [AliExpress] (only if using custom PCB)
• Multiplexer Module [Amazon] (only if NOT using custom PCB)

Pin Configuration (XIAO ESP32-C3)

BNO085 IMU Integration (Optional)

The BNO085 9-DOF IMU provides orientation tracking to complement finger position data. This is an optional component that can be added for enhanced hand tracking capabilities.

BNO085 Wiring

I2C Connection:

• SDA: GPIO 21 (D6/TX) - I2C Data line
• SCL: GPIO 20 (D7/RX) - I2C Clock line
• VCC: 3.3V power supply
• GND: Ground connection
• I2C Address: 0x4B (default)

Optional Connections:

• RST: Not currently implemented (software reset used instead)
• INT: Interrupt pin (not used in current implementation)

Important Notes

⚠️ Multiplexer Pin Conflicts: The current codebase has these remaining pin assignment conflicts:

1. Button Conflicts: Boot button (GPIO 9) and Mode button (GPIO 10) conflict with multiplexer pins S1 and S0

BNO085 Software Configuration

The IMU is configured for:

• Sensor Fusion: Game Rotation Vector mode
• Update Rate: 200Hz (5ms intervals)
• Auto-Detection: System continues operation if IMU is not connected
• Data Output: Quaternion format for orientation representation

Breakout Board Recommendation:

• GY-BNO085 Module [Amazon]

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• PlatformIO IDE extension
• 3D printer for mechanical components
• PCB manufacturing (or breadboard for prototyping)
• Components listed in BOM (see PCB directory)

Build Instructions

1. Clone this repository
2. Open firmware project in PlatformIO
3. Install dependencies (automatically handled by platformio.ini)
4. Build and upload to XIAO ESP32-C3
5. Assemble mechanical components
6. Calibrate sensors using built-in calibration mode

Firmware Dependencies

• ResponsiveAnalogRead ^1.2.1: Sensor input filtering
• NimBLE-Arduino ^1.4.1: Bluetooth Low Energy
• Adafruit BNO08x ^1.2.3: IMU sensor library

Web Hand Visualizer

The eidon-glove includes a comprehensive web-based visualizer for real-time hand tracking data visualization and analysis.

What It Is

A browser-based 3D hand visualization tool that:

• Real-time 3D Hand Model: Displays a detailed 3D hand that mirrors your glove movements
• IMU Orientation Tracking: Shows precise hand orientation using quaternion data from the BNO085 IMU
• 16-DOF Finger Tracking: Visualizes all finger joint movements with color-coded angle displays
• Multi-Device Support: Can connect to multiple gloves and trackers simultaneously
• Data Recording & Playback: Record hand movements and play them back for analysis

Key Features

• 🎯 Gimbal-Lock Free: Stable orientation tracking without axis flipping at extreme angles
• 🔄 Auto-Reconnect: Automatically reconnects to previously paired devices on page refresh
• 🎨 Color-Coded Visualization: Device-specific colors for easy identification
• 📊 Real-Time Data: Live quaternion values, Euler angles, and joint positions
• 🎮 HID Protocol: Uses standard Web HID API for direct browser connection
• 💾 Session Recording: Capture and save hand movement sequences

How to Use

1. Open the Web App: Navigate to /web/index.html in a modern browser (Chrome/Edge recommended)
2. Connect Your Glove: Click "Connect" and select your eidon-glove from the HID device list
3. Calibrate: Use the "Calibrate" button to zero the sensor baseline
4. Visualize: Watch the 3D hand model mirror your real hand movements in real-time

Browser Requirements

• Chrome 89+ or Edge 89+ (Web HID API support required)
• HTTPS Connection (required for Web HID API)
• Modern GPU (WebGL support for 3D rendering)

Technical Details

• Communication: Web HID API for direct glove communication
• 3D Rendering: Three.js for WebGL-based hand visualization
• Coordinate System: Optimized quaternion mapping (x, z, -y, w) for stable orientation
• Update Rate: ~60fps visualization with real-time sensor data
• Data Format: 24-byte HID reports containing joint angles + quaternion data

Files

web/

The web visualizer provides an intuitive way to validate glove functionality, debug sensor issues, and demonstrate the full capabilities of the eidon-glove system.

Project Structure

eidon-glove/
├── firmware/          # ESP32-C3 firmware (PlatformIO)
│   ├── src/           # Main source code
│   ├── lib/           # Custom libraries
│   └── platformio.ini # Build configuration
├── pcb/               # KiCad PCB design files
├── cad/               # 3D printable components
├── web/               # Web interface (if applicable)
│   ├── index.html         # Main web interface
│   ├── script.js          # Core visualization logic
│   ├── style.css          # UI styling
│   ├── tetris.html    # Simple Tetris game demo
│   └── piano.html     # Simple five key piano demo
└── images/            # Documentation images

Inspired By

This project builds upon excellent open-source work:

• Project-Homunculus: Original 3D models and mechanical design
• finger-tracker: Original firmware architecture
• glove-v3: Current PCB design foundation

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is released under an open-source license. See individual component repositories for specific licensing terms.

Status: Active development - hardware tested, firmware functional, documentation in progress.