Green-GLOVE - Sustainable, wireless, real-time capable, universally applicable, tactile sensor gloves
Green-GLOVE aims to achieve a technological leap in sensor gloves for detecting the movement of fingers and hands. Previously presented systems are large, uncomfortable to wear, sensitive, expensive to manufacture and sometimes still connected by cable. Many are non-washable, disposable systems.
The glove is equipped with several piezoresistive sensors made of textile material that detect finger flexion and spread. It is manufactured using an innovative production method based on flat knitting technology in a fully automated process. The sensors are integrated into the knitting process using textile technology.
Concept sketch of the sensor glove showing the placement of the sensors and electronics, including radio transmission modules and battery; left: back, right: inside
In addition, a new connection concept is being developed that enables the sensitive, non-washable electronics to be easily separated from the textile carrier and reused.
The project is being carried out in collaboration with the Chair of Circuit Design and Network Theory. Their core research areas are wireless transmission systems for data transmission.
The sensor gloves open up many new areas of application, including Industry 4.0, entertainment and gaming as well as medical applications such as sign language translation.
Application Sensor glove as a key component for translating sign language for deaf-mute people into speech that can be heard by others using real-time gesture recognition
December 2025
We are excited to announce the official kick-off of the SAB EFRE research project “Sustainable, wireless, real-time capable, universally applicable, tactile sensor gloves (Green-GLOVE)”, launched in close collaboration between the Institute of Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology (ITM) and the Chair of Circuit Design and Network Theory (PSN) at TU Dresden.
Over the next two years, the project will focus on developing fully textile-based, multisensory gloves capable of detecting both finger bending and finger spreading with high precision. By combining advanced textile sensor structures, innovative contact concepts, and a novel, fully automated flat-knitting process, the gloves will integrate seamlessly with an energy-efficient wireless electronic system that ensures real-time data transmission at minimal size and power consumption. This interdisciplinary effort brings together textile engineering and electrical engineering to unlock new potential for next-generation wearable technologies across multiple fields, including Industry 4.0, medical rehabilitation, human–machine interaction, gaming, and musical interfaces.