Helping hand - an Arduino based tilt sensor project

'Helping hand' is a hand glove that can trigger an alarm when the wearer moves their index finger. For this project, I'll be using an 'Arduino Uno'.

Today we will make a ‘Helping Hand’, which is an Arduino UNO based electronic circuit, that is attached to a hand glove, fitted with a tilt switch. The circuit consists of an Arduino UNO, tilt switch module and buzzer. The tilt switch senses movements of the index finger and causes the buzzer to sound. This project can help paralyzed patients who can at least move a finger.

Where can we use such ‘hands’?:

• This project can help paralyzed patients who can at least move a finger. Hearing the alarm, other people will come to help them.
• Artificial limbs can be designed using this principle.
• Robotic finger movement can be tracked by using this circuit.

About the sensor:

• The tilt sensor has 3 pins.+,- and S.
• S-is the output pin of the sensor. When the tilt sensor is kept on a flat surface, the digital output is ‘1’. When the sensor is tilted, the output is ‘0’
• We will connect the S pin to a digital pin of the Arduino. Then we will read that pin continuously with digitalRead() function.
• If the pin’s digital value is ‘1’, the sensor is in a normal position. If the value is ‘0’, the Arduino understands that the sensor is tilted.

Code:

Please find the tilt.zip folder in the downloads section.

Circuit diagram:

Connection charts:

Arduino UNO- R3	Tilt switch
GND	-
5V	+
10	OUTPUT

Arduino UNO	Buzzer
11	+
GND	-

Power supply:

To power up the whole setup, I used two lithium-ion batteries in series.

Attaching components to the glove:

I used double-sided tape, to attach all components to the glove. Mine is a woollen glove that someone gifted me 15 years ago.

Testing:

• Attach all the components to the glove with double-sided tape.
• Make all the necessary connections according to the circuit diagram.
• Wear the glove
• Keep your hand on a surface
• Move your index finger upward.
• The buzzer will start making a sound now.

For the video showing the operation of the glove, please see the downloads section.

Further improvement:

The existing model of 'helping hand' is for experimental purposes only. For making a practically wearable version, we should use Arduino Lilypad, a wearable tilt sensor and conductive thread. We also should use QC-passed, high-quality batteries for safety.