[Paul Victorey]

Well, for my application, a simulation would work equally well for a first run of the theory.

The goal is actually to test to see if I can interpret readings from a new type of sensor, and, based on these readings, determine how the person is trying to move their hand.

So, if the control hardware says "bend finger 2 by 42 degrees at the first joint" -- regardless of whether it 'says' this to a computer simulation or actual hardware, the control hardware is a success. Really, the artificial hand is almost an afterthought; the test themselves would be tests solely focusing on a new type of sensor and a new type of control hardware.

So, my plan was to treat the had as a "black box" that would simply receive the signals from the control hardware, and then use a computer as the "hand". Once the control hardware theory was found to be good or bad, THEN a real hand could be constructed to use the interface.

Now, the question becomes, to capture data necessary to doing control hardware I need also to know the exact angles of all of the joints in my hand at all times. I can easily rig up sensors for the 4 fingers, but I am at a loss as to how to do the thumb...