Ask HN: Why don't winter gloves have mechanical fingers?
Posted by amichail 19 hours ago
Idea: A winter glove where your real hand stays in a warm fist and controls mechanical fingers.
In very cold weather, even good gloves often fail and you end up clenching your fist inside them to keep your fingers warm. Mittens work better for warmth, but you lose dexterity.
What if a glove was designed around the fact that your hand wants to stay mostly closed in the cold?
The idea is a heavily insulated mitten where your real hand stays in a relaxed fist for warmth. Instead of your own fingers doing the work, there are mechanical fingers on the outside of the glove that you control using small movements, pressure, or muscle signals from your clenched hand.
Even in a fist, your hand is still very functional. You can vary finger pressure, tendon tension, thumb movement, and forearm muscle activation. Those small signals could be used to control external mechanical fingers through pressure sensors, cables, or EMG sensors.
The benefits:
* Fingers stay together and warm like a mitten
* No need to expose real fingers to cold
* Mechanical fingers handle interaction with the environment
* Control happens inside the warm zone
This would not need full human level dexterity. Even 2 to 3 mechanical fingers or a simple articulated claw could handle common tasks like opening doors, holding objects, using tools, or pressing buttons.
Similar tech exists in prosthetics and rehab gloves, but I have not seen it applied specifically to cold weather where warmth is the main constraint.
What do you think of this idea? Would you wear such gloves?
Comments
Comment by KomoD 5 hours ago
I use a merino liner + gloves and that works fine for cycling in -20c
Comment by ofalkaed 19 hours ago
Comment by JohnFen 18 hours ago
Comment by codingdave 18 hours ago
Comment by tanvach 19 hours ago
Comment by nosrepa 18 hours ago
Comment by uberman 19 hours ago
Comment by mhb 17 hours ago
Comment by bediger4000 19 hours ago