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. 

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 

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 anoptical 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. 

  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. 

U .S. Patent :  5,047,952, Jim Kramer. Communication system for deaf, 
deaf-blind an non-vocal individuals using instrumented 
glovesVirtual Technologies, 1991.