Gesture-Controlled Embedded Interface for Sterile Medical Environments

Abstract

Maintaining sterility in surgical environments is critical, yet conventional input devices such as keyboards and mice pose contamination risks and are impractical during procedures. This paper presents the design and implementation of a compact, contactless gesture-controlled embedded system tailored for medical settings, enabling surgeons to interact with on-screen medical images and control connected devices without breaking sterile conditions. The system employs a Raspberry Pi Pico MCU (Microcontroller Unit) and three VL53L0X ToF (Time-of-Flight) sensors to recognize seven distinct hand gestures, including directional swipes and timed holds. Detected gestures are transmitted via USB (Universal Serial Bus) serial communication to a host computer, where a custom LabVIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench) interface interprets the input and executes corresponding actions such as image navigation, zoom, and device control. Visual feedback is provided through RGB (Red-Green-Blue) LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes), enhancing usability and user confidence. In addition to software-based control, the system enables gesture-based actuation of a servo motor, demonstrating the capability to manipulate external devices directly from the embedded unit. The prototype demonstrated reliable gesture recognition, seamless integration with host applications, and precise servo motor control, validated through systematic functional testing. Achievements include accurate gesture detection, intuitive user feedback, robust communication between embedded hardware and software, and successful real-time device actuation. The protorype establishes a strong foundation for future enhancements, such as expanding the gesture set, improving classification algorithms, enabling wireless communication, and integrating a broader range of medical devices. Overall, this work demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of low-cost embedded hardware for intuitive, real-time, and hygienic user interfaces in critical medical applications, paving the way for smarter and safer surgical environments.