Prototype of Turn Signal Gloves

William Truslow

When asked to brainstorm ideas about reinvented bicycle gear, I came up with the basis for my project, gloves that function as turn signals. The idea was to have a glove wired so that when the index finger and thumb touch together, lights around the wrist illuminate, signifying that the wearer intends to turn. I have designed a partially working prototype that is displayed in the attatched images. I began by sewing a little pad on the thumb utilizing multiple layers of a conductive thread. I then sewed down the length of the thumb with the same thread, down to the wrist, and around to the back where I sewed on a AAA battery holder. I then used more thread to sew on the holder from the other side. At this point I switched to a smaller thread that proved to be much easier to work with. The original thread I was working with proved difficult to thread through the needle, often splitting and fraying at the end. I used the thinner thread to connect the + side of the battery holder to the + side of a small LED light also located on the back of the wrist. I then sewed a small pad of conductive thread on the index finger of the glove, and like I had done with the thumb, I sewed down the length of the finger and to the wrist. From there I sewed around to the other side where I connected the thread to the - side of the LED. The LED now illuminates when the two fingers touch, however it doesnt always work. I hope to expand upon this and use fiberoptic cables to add brightness to the glove, thus making it easier to see by motorists. For future versions of this project, I would use a tighter knit or a woven glove. The problem is that the conductive threads I was using weren't as flexible as the material of the glove, the threads came loose in multiple places on the glove as a result and could lead to lack of functionality altogether.