# US 8,571,707 B2 · Glove puppet manipulating system

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- Number: US 8,571,707 B2
- Document ID: US8571707B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/503,592
- Filed: 2009-07-15
- Published: 2010-04-15
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2008-10-09
- Assignees: National Chiao Tung University
- Applicants: Jwu-Sheng Hu; Jyun-Ji Wang; Guan-Qun Sun; Chi-Him Tang
- Inventors: Jwu-Sheng Hu; Jyun-Ji Wang; Guan-Qun Sun; Chi-Him Tang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8571707B2

## CPC

- A63H 3/14: into which the fingers of the hand can be inserted, e.g. hand-puppets
- B25J 3/04: involving servo mechanisms (servo-actuated heads B25J15/02)
- B25J 9/0087: {Dual arms (double SCARA arms B25J9/043)}
- B25J 13/02: Hand grip control means {(handles or pedals for crane control B66C13/56; for measuring the force applied to control members G01L5/22; hand-held casings for switching devices, e.g. joy-sticks H01H9/0214)}
- Y10T 70/5978: With switch
- A63H: TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A glove puppet manipulating system comprises a control module for generating control signals base on movements of human hand and a robot electrically connecting the control module installed inside a glove puppet. The robot has a body manipulating apparatus disposed on a foundation to manipulate the body of the glove puppet to rotate, a pair of hand manipulating apparatuses disposed on the body manipulating apparatus to manipulate the hands of the glove puppet to swivel, and a head manipulating apparatus interposed between the hand manipulating apparatuses on the body manipulating apparatus to manipulate the head of the glove puppet to nod.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A glove puppet manipulating system comprising:
a control module for generating control signals based on movements of a human hand; and
a glove puppet; and
a robot being installed inside the glove puppet and electrically connected to the control module, the robot comprising:
a foundation;
a body manipulating apparatus disposed on the foundation for connecting to a body of the glove puppet, the body manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the body of the glove puppet to rotate relative to the foundation according to the control signals;
a pair of hand manipulating apparatuses disposed on the body manipulating apparatus for connecting to hands of the glove puppet separately, each hand manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the respective hand of the glove puppet to swivel relative to the body according to the control signals; and
a head manipulating apparatus interposed between the hand manipulating apparatuses on the body manipulating apparatus for connecting to a head of the glove puppet, the head manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the head of the glove puppet to nod,
wherein the head manipulating apparatus and the foundation are disposed on opposite ends of the body manipulating apparatus,
wherein each of the hand manipulating apparatuses further comprises:
a shoulder rotating motor connected to the body manipulating apparatus;
a shoulder rotating axle disposed on the shoulder rotating motor, wherein the shoulder rotating axle is not parallel to a direction extending from the foundation to the head manipulating apparatus;
a shoulder rotating block connected to the shoulder rotating axle, wherein the shoulder rotating motor is operable to drive the shoulder rotating block to rotate relative to the body manipulating apparatus according to the control signals;
an arm swiveling motor connected to the body manipulating apparatus;
an arm swiveling axle disposed on the arm swiveling motor, wherein the arm swiveling axle is not parallel to the shoulder rotating axle;
an arm swiveling block connected to the arm swiveling axle, wherein the arm swiveling motor is operable to drive the arm swiveling block to rotate to change an included angle between the arm swiveling block and the arm swiveling motor according to the control signals;
an elbow bending motor connected to the arm swiveling motor;
an elbow bending axle disposed on the elbow bending motor; and
an elbow bending block connected to the elbow bending axle, wherein the elbow bending motor is operable to drive the elbow bending block to rotate to change an included angle between the elbow bending block and the elbow bending motor according to the control signals.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 1, wherein the body manipulating apparatus comprises:
a waist twisting motor connected to the foundation;
a waist twisting axle disposed on the waist twisting motor along a direction extending from the foundation to the head manipulating apparatus; and
a waist twisting block connected to the waist twisting axle,
wherein the waist twisting motor is operable to drive the waist twisting axle and the waist twisting block to rotate relative to the foundation according to the control signals.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 1, wherein the body manipulating apparatus further comprises:
a back bending motor interposed between the foundation and the head manipulating apparatus;
a back bending axle disposed on the back bending motor, wherein the back bending axle is not parallel to a direction extending from the foundation to the head manipulating apparatus; and
a back bending block connected to the back bending axle,
wherein the back bending motor is operable to drive the back bending block to rotate to change an included angle between the back bending block and the foundation according to the control signals.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 1, wherein the head manipulating apparatus comprises:
a nodding motor connected to the body manipulating apparatus;
a nodding axle disposed on the nodding motor, wherein the nodding axle is not parallel to a direction extending from the foundation to the head manipulating apparatus; and
a nodding block connected to the nodding axle,
wherein the nodding motor is operable to drive the nodding block to rotate to change an included angle between the nodding block and the body manipulating apparatus according to the control signals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 4, further comprising:
a connecter connected to the head of the glove puppet; and
an elastic element connected to the connecter and the nodding block.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 1, wherein the arm swiveling block is fastened on the shoulder rotating block.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 1, wherein the elbow bending motor is fastened on the arm swiveling motor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 1, wherein each of the hand manipulating apparatuses further comprises:
a hand connecter connected to the respective hand of the glove puppet; and
a hand elastic element connected the hand connecter and the elbow bending block.

### Claim 9

A glove puppet manipulating system comprising:
a data glove comprising:
a glove having a plurality of finger cots to be wearable on human fingers, each finger cot having two parts to be wearable on two adjacent joints of the respective finger, wherein the finger cots are shaped to be wearable on a thumb, an index finger, and a middle finger;
at most five angle-measuring sensors disposed on the finger cots for detecting bending angles of the finger cots, wherein the angle-measuring sensors are disposed separately on the two parts of the finger cot for the thumb, the two parts of the finger cot for the middle finger, and one of the two parts of the finger cot for the index finger;
a rotating sensor disposed on the glove for detecting a rotating angle of the glove; and
a signal conditioning electrically connected to the angle-measuring sensors and the rotating sensor, the signal conditioning is operable to convert the bending angles into a head control signal, a plurality of left hand control signals, and a plurality of right hand control signals, and convert the rotating angle into a waist twisting control signal;
a glove puppet; and
a robot for being installed inside the glove puppet, the robot electrically connected to the control module and comprising:
a foundation;
a body manipulating apparatus disposed on the foundation for connecting to a body of the glove puppet, the body manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the body of the glove puppet to rotate relative to the foundation according to the waist twisting control signal;
a left hand manipulating apparatus disposed on the body manipulating apparatus for connecting to a left hand of the glove puppet, the left hand manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the left hand to rotate relative to the body according to the left hand control signals;
a right hand manipulating apparatus disposed on the body manipulating apparatus for connecting to a right hand of the glove puppet, the right hand manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the right hand to rotate relative to the body according to the right hand control signals; and
a head manipulating apparatus interposed between the right hand manipulating apparatus and the left hand manipulating apparatus on the body manipulating apparatus, for connecting to a head of the glove puppet, the head manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the head to nod according to the head control signal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 9, wherein the body manipulating apparatus comprises:
a waist twisting motor connected to the foundation and electrically connected to the signal conditioning;
a waist twisting axle disposed on the waist twisting motor, and substantially vertical to the foundation; and
a waist twisting block connected to the waist twisting axle,
wherein the waist twisting motor is operable to drive the waist twisting block to rotate relative to the foundation according to the waist twisting control signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 10,
wherein the data glove further comprises a tilt sensor disposed on the glove for detecting a tilting angle of the glove, wherein the signal conditioning is electrically connected to the tilt sensor for converting the tilting angle into a back bending control signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 11, wherein the body manipulating apparatus comprises:
a back bending motor electrically connected to the signal conditioning;
a back bending axle disposed on the back bending motor, and substantially vertical to the waist twisting axle; and
a back bending block connected to the back bending axle,
wherein the back bending motor is operable to drive the back bending block to rotate to change an included angle between the back bending block and the foundation according to the back bending control signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 12, wherein the head manipulating apparatus comprises:
a nodding motor fastened on the body manipulating apparatus and electrically connected to the signal conditioning;
a nodding axle disposed on the nodding motor, and substantially vertical to the waist twisting axle; and
a nodding block connected to the nodding axle,
wherein the nodding motor is operable to drive the nodding block to rotate to change an included angle between the nodding block and the body manipulating apparatus according to the head control signal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 13, further comprising:
a connecter connected to the head of the glove puppet; and
an elastic element connected the connecter and the nodding block.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 13, wherein the left hand manipulating apparatus comprises:
a shoulder rotating motor fastened on the body manipulating apparatus and electrically connected to the signal conditioning;
a shoulder rotating axle disposed on the shoulder rotating motor, and substantially vertical to the waist twisting axle; and
a shoulder rotating block connected to the shoulder rotating axle,
wherein the shoulder rotating motor is operable to drive the shoulder rotating block to rotate relative to the body manipulating apparatus according to the left hand control signals.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 15, wherein the left hand manipulating apparatus further comprises:
an arm swiveling motor electrically connected to the signal conditioning;
an arm swiveling axle disposed on the arm swiveling motor, and substantially vertical to the shoulder rotating axle; and
an arm swiveling block connected to the arm swiveling axle,
wherein the arm swiveling motor is operable to drive the arm swiveling block to rotate to change an included angle between the arm swiveling block and the arm swiveling motor according to the left hand control signals.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 16, wherein the left hand manipulating apparatus further comprises:
an elbow bending motor connected to the arm swiveling motor and electrically connected to the signal conditioning;
an elbow bending axle disposed on the elbow bending motor, and being substantially vertical to the shoulder rotating axle; and
an elbow bending block connected to the elbow bending axle,
wherein the elbow bending motor is operable to drive the elbow bending block to rotate to change an included angle between the elbow bending block and the elbow bending motor according to the left hand control signals.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 17, wherein the left hand manipulating apparatus further comprises:
a hand connecter connected to the respective hand of the glove puppet; and
a hand elastic element connected the hand connecter and the elbow bending block.

### Claim 19 (depends on 9)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 9, wherein the data glove further comprises an acceleration sensor disposed on the glove for detecting acceleration of the glove.

### Claim 20 (depends on 9)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 9, further comprising:
a recording module electrically connected to the signal conditioning, the recording module being operable to record the head control signal, the left hand control signals, and the right hand control signals as at least a movement package;
an editing module electrically connected to the recording module, the editing module being operable to edit sequences of the head control signal, the left hand control signals, and the right hand control signals of the movement package; and
an output module electrically connected to the editing module and the robot, the output module being operable to transfer the edited movement packages to the robot.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 20, wherein the editing module further comprises a timeline editing module, the timeline editing module comprising a plurality of movement tracks for editing a timeline of the head control signal, the left hand control signals, and the right hand control signals.

### Claim 22

A glove puppet manipulating system comprising:
a motion capture module comprising:
a camera operable to capture a plurality of images of a first glove puppet manipulated by a human hand;
a location detecting module operable to detect distances between a head and hands of the first puppet of each image;
a mean-shift tracking module operable to calculate a movement of each finger of the human hand according to the distances between a head and hands of the first puppet, wherein the mean-shift tracking module calculates the movement of a thumb, an index finger, and a middle finger; and
an inverse kinematic module operable to generate a plurality of control signals according to the movement of each finger; and
a robot for being installed inside a second glove puppet, the robot electrically connecting the motion capture module and comprising:
a foundation;
a body manipulating apparatus disposed on the foundation for connecting to a body of the second glove puppet, the body manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the body of the second glove puppet to rotate relative to the foundation according to the control signals;
a left hand manipulating apparatus disposed on the body manipulating apparatus for connecting to a left hand of the second glove puppet, the left hand being operable to manipulate the left hand to rotate relative to the body according to the control signals;
a right hand manipulating apparatus disposed on the body manipulating apparatus for connecting to a right hand of the second glove puppet, the right hand manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the right hand to rotate relative to the body according to the control signals; and
a head manipulating apparatus interposed between the right hand manipulating apparatus and the left hand manipulating apparatus on the body manipulating apparatus, for connecting to a head of the second glove puppet, the head manipulating apparatus being operable to manipulate the head to nod according to the control signal.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 22, wherein the inverse kinematic module is operable to generate at least a left hand control signal according to the movement of the thumb, generate at least a right hand control signal according to the movement of the middle finger, and generate a head control signal according to the movement of the index finger.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 23, wherein the head manipulating apparatus comprises:
a nodding motor electrically connected to the motion capture module;
a nodding axle disposed on the nodding motor; and
a nodding block connected to the nodding axle,
wherein the nodding motor is operable to drive the nodding block to rotate to change an included angle between the nodding block and the body manipulating apparatus according to the head control signal.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 24, further comprising:
a connecter connected to the head of the second glove puppet; and
an elastic element connected the connecter and the nodding block.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 25, wherein the left hand manipulating apparatus comprises:
a shoulder rotating motor fastened on the body manipulating apparatus and electrically connected to the motion capture module;
a shoulder rotating axle disposed on the shoulder rotating motor, and substantially vertical to the nodding axle; and
a shoulder rotating block connected to the shoulder rotating axle,
wherein the shoulder rotating motor is operable to drive the shoulder rotating block to rotate relative to the body manipulating apparatus according to the left hand control signal.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 26, wherein the left hand manipulating apparatus further comprises:
an arm swiveling motor electrically connected to the motion capture module;
an arm swiveling axle disposed on the arm swiveling motor, and substantially vertical to the shoulder rotating axle; and
an arm swiveling block connected to the arm swiveling axle,
wherein the arm swiveling motor is operable to drive the arm swiveling block to rotate to change an included angle between the arm swiveling block and the arm swiveling motor according to the left hand control signal.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 27 wherein the left hand manipulating apparatus further comprises
an elbow bending motor connected to the arm swiveling motor and electrically connected to the motion capture module;
an elbow bending axle disposed on the elbow bending motor, and being substantially vertical to the shoulder rotating axle; and
an elbow bending block connected to the elbow bending axle,
wherein the elbow bending motor is operable to drive the elbow bending block to rotate to change an included angle between the elbow bending block and the elbow bending motor according to the left hand control signal.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 28, wherein the left hand manipulating apparatus further comprises:
a hand connecter connected to the respective hand of the glove puppet; and
a hand elastic element connected to the hand connecter and the elbow bending block.

### Claim 30 (depends on 23)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 23, further comprising:
a recording module electrically connected to the motion capture module, the recording module being operable to record the head control signal, the left hand control signal, and the right hand control signal;
an editing module electrically connected to the recording module, the editing module being operable to edit sequences of the head control signal, the left hand control signal, and the right hand control signal; and
an output module electrically connected to the editing module and the robot, the output module being operable to transfer the edited head control signal, the edited left hand control signal, and the edited right hand control signal to the robot.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 30, wherein the editing module further comprises a timeline editing module, the timeline editing module comprising a plurality of movement tracks for editing a timeline of the head control signal, the left hand control signal, and the right hand control signal.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The glove puppet manipulating system of claim 31, wherein the timeline editing module comprising at least a sound track for editing at least a sound signal.