Design and development of anti-vibration glove – integrating ergonomics and materials fabrication​

Abstract

Anti-vibration gloves have been developed to protect hands from excessive vibration. The materials commonly used in current anti-vibration gloves to reduce the effects of vibration include chloroprene rubber, foam, urethane air bladders, resilient gels, or combinations of these materials. While it is important and also critical that such gloves effectively reduce the transmission of vibrations to the hand, they should not inhibit hand dexterity or coordination during use. Some people choose to forgo wearing gloves because they may reduce work efficiency. Wearing comfort is another factor that influences user compliance. However, few studies have examined the effects of anti-vibration glove materials and designs. There is limited knowledge regarding how different glove designs impact hand movement and wearing comfort. With three years of funding support (1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, this study aimed to develop an anti-vibration glove that provides both high perceived comfort and good hand dexterity, based on hand and finger ergonomics and the design of textile materials for vibration isolation. The outcomes of this study not only provide workers with a better anti-vibration glove that protects against hand–arm vibration syndrome and enhances compliance with glove use, but also demonstrate that the development of 3D structured fabrics can be applied to other product innovations in fields such as architecture, automotive design, and medicine. The research findings were disseminated through peer-reviewed journal papers and conference presentations, highlighting the potential for further development of work gloves and vibration isolation materials.