MIDS: Micro input devices system using MEMS sensors

The evolution of human-to-computer input devices lags far behind the evolution of processing power, i.e., the relatively "brainless" mechanical input devices such as the mouse and the keyboard are much bulkier than their state-of-the-art intelligent interfacing counterpart: the handheld PCs. In this paper, we will present our work on merging MEMS force sensors and existing wireless technologies to develop a novel multi-functional interface input system, the Micro Input Devices System (MIDS), which could potentially replace the mouse, the pen, and the keyboard as input devices to the computer. Moreover, our initial experimental results indicate that further exploration of this technology could eventually produce a new control-input device for grasping robotic manipulators. We have thus far developed a prototype MIDS that consists of two MIDS rings - each packaged with commercial MEMS acceleration sensors to sense multi-axes motion, and a MIDS wrist watch that communicates with the rings and transmits data wirelessly to interface with a CPU. The system has been demonstrated to perform click and drawing motions successfully. A self-calibration method was also developed to resolve ambiguities in sensed motion for the MEMS sensors. These results are presented in this paper. © 2002 IEEE