Glove Design Research Articles

High-Force Fabric-Based Pneumatic Actuators With Asymmetric Chambers and Interference-Reinforced Structure for Soft Wearable Assistive Gloves

Fabric-based pneumatic actuators (FPAs) are promising in the design of soft wearable assistive gloves, owing to the lightweight and compliant advantages. However, the existing FPAs generally suffer from small output force, limiting users’ applications. This letter presents a new class of high-force FPAs (HFFPAs) that harness asymmetric chambers and interference-reinforced structure for soft wearable assistive gloves. Different from the classical FPAs with symmetric chamber (i.e., Line chamber) fabricated by two identical layers of textiles, we design FPAs with asymmetric chambers (i.e., Arch and Semicircle chambers) fabricated by two unidentical layers of textiles. To further improve the output force, we introduce interference pads on adjacent-pleat surfaces to reinforce the stiffness of the FPAs. We next characterize the joint torque and the tip blocked force of six kinds of FPAs (i.e., Line, Line-pad, Arch, Arch-pad, Semicircle, and Semicircle-pad FPAs). Experimental results demonstrate that the Semicircle-pad FPA shows the best performance, whose joint torque and tip blocked force are improved by 510% and 478% at 150 kPa than the commonly used Line FPA. We further integrate HFFPAs on soft wearable assistive gloves and verify the improved assistive capability in grasping multiscale objects with irregular geometry, covering a wide weight range (8–559 g) in activities of daily living (ADLs).

Analysis of length of finger segments with different hand postures to enhance glove design

It is important to understand how the hand and fingers elongate and contract with hand posture for optimally fitting and comfortable gloves. Nevertheless, the measurement and analysis of the finger segments for glove designs remain largely neglected. Here, the length and proportion of the finger segments when splayed and during gripping, and between the dorsal and palm sides of 30 participants are 3D scanned and analysed. The full digit lengths change by 7.6–11.9% with hand posture, but the finger segment changes are not proportional. The ratios of the fingertip to distal interphalangeal joint/full digit, and fingertip to the proximal interphalangeal joint/full digit, are important variables. The results are validated with 10 more subjects based on ratings of a ready-to-wear sports glove. Inaccurate proportioning of the finger regions causes shifting which results in displacement and discomfort. This research contributes to glove pattern engineering, with a focus on the finger segments.

Estimation of anthropometric hand measurements, from ratio scaling method, for the design of sewn gloves

This paper shows the estimation process of the hand’s anthropometric dimensions, for designing leather sewn gloves. Since there is not detailed information about hands in the anthropometric studies of the Colombian population, it was necessary here to use the ratio scaling method (RS) to estimate, 22 anthropometric dimensions. Subsequently, an anthropometric measurement was performed in a sample of 41 participants (18 female – 23 male), in order to compare the similarity between the measured and the estimated dimensions founding a correlation coefficient between 0.9396 and 0.9995, for male, and between 0.9587 and 0.9988, for female. It was found that the estimated dimensions have the required precision to use this information in the products design that involve a direct contact with human beings, which means that the measures can be obtained with a lower cost and in a faster way than with conventional anthropometric studies.

The Role of Routine Practice in Healthcare Worker Strategies when Doffing Unfamiliar Personal Protective Equipment

Background: Appropriate doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) prevents healthcare worker (HCW) self-contamination and spread of pathogens. HCWs may encounter an array of PPE types (eg, gloves, gowns, masks) and designs (eg, masks with elastic ear loops vs ties) during their duties, some of which may be unfamiliar. We know little about how HCWs strategize when doffing unfamiliar PPE. As part of a larger study examining the doffing process and the risk of self-contamination, we used qualitative methods to explore factors influencing HCW PPE doffing strategies. Methods: In total, 70 HCW participants from 2 Midwestern academic hospitals were assigned to 1 of 4 doffing simulation scenarios. In the first 3 scenarios, participants were asked to doff 3 mask designs (n = 10), 2 gown designs (n = 10), or 2 glove designs (n = 10). In the fourth scenario, HCWs with different levels of training (n = 40) participated in 2 doffing simulations randomized per participant: a distraction simulation and a nondistraction simulation (using identical PPE types and designs). In all scenarios, participants were instructed to doff in their usual manner. Doffing performances were video-recorded. Participants then reviewed the recordings and took part in short semistructured interviews about their performance. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: When faced with unfamiliar PPE during the simulations, participants were required to problem solve. In so doing, participants reported drawing on their day-to-day routine practices with familiar PPE to inform their doffing strategies. Aspects of routine practice identified as influential included PPE types typically worn, PPE donning and doffing order, doffing frequency, familiar PPE design cues, and experience tailoring strategies to specific patient care contexts. Participants frequently reported the desire to avoid self-contamination as driving doffing strategies and problem solving, but they also noted unique patient care demands related to their specific roles when they explained their doffing decisions. At the same time, HCWs identified lack of familiarity, lack of training, and nonintuitive design as barriers to doffing appropriately when encountering unfamiliar PPE. Conclusions: Different PPE designs may not be interchangeable, and proper doffing techniques may not be intuitive. The previous experiences of HCWs informed their strategies when doffing unfamiliar PPE. However, this practice sometimes caused them to use inappropriate doffing techniques and resulted in self-contamination. This finding has important implications for hospital policies and procedures regarding the introduction of new PPE and indicates that HCWs need training when new items are introduced.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Design and Fabrication of Gloves for Cold Temperature Field Work

Conducting field work in cold temperature was a difficult task. The most important safety consideration for field work was to maintain normal body temperature and the proper flexibility of the hand. Heat production and insulation was done through multiple thin layers needed for different temperature and activity level. This work had been focused on the design and fabrication of gloves with minimum thickness and minimum heat loss. The multilayered construction is 44% thinner and 17.5% lighter than the existing materials.

A Quintessentially English Glove Legacy

The English artisan skills required to produce exquisitely embellished, leather gloves is an important English legacy. The historic cities of Worcester and Bath have, since the 17th Century, been centres of craftsmanship for Glove makers and Design. There is something quintessentially English in the narrative of this heritage having strong connection to English culture and branding. Three important archival glove collections are housed in the Fashion Museum, Bath, the Museums Worcestershire collection and Dents Gloves. The paper will uncover the story of English glove design, manufacturing and social time whilst exploring the relevance of these collections for designers and makers today.

Investigation into Hand Impact Force During Forward Falls on Uneven Terrain

Outdoor falls predominantly occur because of environmental factors, such as tripping caused by uneven terrain; as a result, the faller may land on an uneven surface. Forward falls are among the most frequent causes of fractures. Previous investigations concentrated on the evaluation of impact forces acting on the hand/wrist on even terrains; however, further studies are necessary to evaluate the impact force during forward falls on uneven surfaces, which may occur frequently in daily activities. This study investigated the distal/proximal hand impact force during forward falls on even/uneven terrain. A series of fall experiments in which the distal and proximal areas of the hand contacted the ground simultaneously (even surface) or at different times (uneven surface) was conducted. The results showed that the magnitude of the peak impact forces acting on the distal and proximal areas are strongly associated with the terrain shape and the contact timing. Although in all experiments, a significant portion of the impact force was exerted on the proximal area of the hand, the earlier distal-ground contact reduced the peak proximal impact force significantly. The results of this study are beneficial for finding strategies to reduce fall-related injuries and the design of protective gloves and wrist guards to satisfy fracture prevention requirements.

Healthcare Workers' Strategies for Doffing Personal Protective Equipment.

BackgroundPersonal protective equipment (PPE) helps protect healthcare workers (HCWs) from pathogens and prevents cross-contamination. PPE effectiveness is often undermined by inappropriate doffing methods. Our knowledge of how HCWs approach doffing PPE in practice is limited. In this qualitative study, we examine HCWs’ perspectives about doffing PPE.MethodsThirty participants at a Midwestern academic hospital were recruited and assigned to 1 of 3 doffing simulation scenarios: 3 mask designs (n = 10), 2 gown designs (n = 10), or 2 glove designs (n = 10). Participants were instructed to doff PPE as they would in routine practice. Their performances were video-recorded and reviewed with participants. Semistructured interviews about their doffing approaches were conducted and audio-recorded, then transcribed and thematically analyzed.ResultsThree overarching themes were identified in interviews: doffing strategies, cognitive processes, and barriers and facilitators. Doffing strategies included doffing safely (minimizing self-contamination) and doffing expediently (eg, ripping PPE off). Cognitive processes during doffing largely pertained to tracking contaminated PPE surfaces, examining PPE design cues (eg, straps), or improvising based on prior experience from training or similar PPE designs. Doffing barriers and facilitators typically related to PPE design, such as PPE fit (or lack of it) and fastener type. Some participants also described personal barriers (eg, glasses, long hair); however, some PPE designs helped mitigate these barriers.ConclusionsEfforts to improve HCWs’ doffing performance need to address HCWs’ preferences for both safety and expediency when using PPE, which has implications for PPE design, training approaches, and hospital policies and procedures.

Therapeutic gloves for arthritis: development of a design framework

ABSTRACTTherapeutic gloves are an intervention widely recommended and prescribed by rheumatologists and occupational therapists for the management and treatment of hand arthritis. Different models of therapeutic gloves are commercially available, with varying design, construction and materials. However, a systematic classification for therapeutic gloves and their effectiveness has not been well established. In addition, little research has addressed the issue of material choice on glove performance. These knowledge gaps prompted the development of a framework for the design and engineering of functional and comfortable therapeutic gloves. Knowledge from multiple domains was integrated into a single framework and relationships between components were identified and characterised. The framework demonstrates that the design and engineering of therapeutic gloves requires fusion of functional design with comfort design to meet users’ demand for wearing comfort, relief of arthritic symptoms and improvement of hand function.

Assessing the Pressure and Thermal Discomfort Thresholds for Designing of Therapeutic Gloves: A Pilot Study

Background: Pressure and thermal therapy glove are the two types of therapeutic gloves that are commonly used to relieve symptoms and improve hand function in patients with hand arthritis. However, no published clinical studies exist indicating the ideal pressure and thermal stimuli for the gloves. Understanding user thresholds towards pressure and thermal stimuli is crucial to improve therapeutic outcomes, wearer comfort, and adherence to therapy. The aim of this pilot study is twofold, firstly to examine the pressure and thermal discomfort thresholds in different regions of the hand in individuals with hand osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). and secondly to determine whether the Cold-Heat pattern questionnaire could be used as a tool to categorise patients into groups that targeting the right treatment option to the right people. Design: Thirteen women with hand OA or RA participated in this exploratory study. Pressure and thermal discomfort thresholds were assessed over the first distal interphalangeal joint, second distal interphalangeal joint, third proximal interphalangeal joint, third metacarpophalangeal joint and first carpometacarpal joint. Results: Significant variations were observed among participants in their pressure, cold and heat discomfort thresholds. Few participants also recorded significantly different levels of sensitivity towards pressure, cold and heat at different locations of the hand. Strong correlations were found between the duration of arthritis and pressure discomfort thresholds, as well as between the duration of arthritis and cold and/or heat discomfort thresholds; those with a longer duration of arthritis were significantly more sensitive towards pressure, cold and heat. Based on Cold-Heat patern questionnaire, eight participants were classified as individuals who are sensitive to cold (cold pattern group) and five participants were classified as individuals who are sensitive to heat (heat pattern group). There was no statistically significant difference in the means of pressure, cold and heat discomfort thresholds between the cold pattern group and the heat pattern group. Conclusion: An ergonomic approach based on variations in distribution of human factors such as pressure and thermal sensitivity is recommended to be used in the design of therapeutic gloves. The role of the Cold-Heat pattern questionnaire in assisting the design of therapeutic gloves for particular groups of wearers requires further investigation.

Iterative codesign and testing of a novel dressing glove for epidermolysis bullosa.

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is a rare genetic skin disorder which requires intensive hand therapy to delay fusion of the digits. Existing dressings do not conform to the complex structure of the hand and are applied in patches held with additional bandages, leading to an occlusive environment. The aim was to co-design with patients a dressing glove based on their user experiences and needs. Qualitative interviews and focus groups with children and adults with RDEB, and their carers, were conducted. Iterative feedback of design cues, bench and surrogate testing of materials and prototype refinement were achieved through collaborative codesign with patients, carers, clinicians and manufacturers. Thematic analysis generated eight user needs and corresponding design cues, addressing issues of absorbency, adherence, comfort, adaptability, ease of application and removal, breathability, protection, and hand hygiene. A prototype was selected for proof of concept testing. This novel dressing glove design met the patient's requirements for a dressing, which conformed to the hand structure and sat in the web spaces to keep fingers separated. Proof of concept testing has since been undertaken with patients to determine performance, value for money and whether further developments are required.

Quantifying upper extremity performance with and without assistance of a soft-robotic glove in elderly patients: A kinematic analysis.

To explore the direct influence of a soft-robotic glove on movement duration and movement execution in elderly people with decreased hand function during a reach-and-grasp task. Cross-sectional study. Eight subjects, aged 55+ years, with decreased hand function. The direct effect of the glove was explored using kinematic analysis during a reach-and-grasp task with a light (100 g) and heavy (1,000/2,500 g) cylindrical object, performed with and without the soft-robotic glove. There was no difference in total movement time between performance with and without the glove. With the glove, the relative time needed to transport the heavy object was shorter, while the relative time needed to grasp the heavy object was longer. In addition, transporting light objects involved a lower peak velocity and larger elbow extension, and grasping the object involved a larger hand opening compared with without glove. As expected, no positive influence of the soft-robotic glove was found on total movement duration in elderly subjects. The influence of the glove on movement execution varied with movement phase. The positive and negative effects found may be due to a perceived confidence while carrying heavy objects with the glove, or compensation for loss of sensation, respectively. This information can be used to improve the glove design.

Exploring Tactile Movies: An Initial Tactile Glove Design and Concept Evaluation

Viewer expectations for rich, immersive interaction with multimedia are driving new technologies- such as high-definition 3D displays and multichannel audio systems-to greater levels of sophistication. While researchers continue to study ways to develop new capabilities for visual and audio sensory channels, improvements in haptic channels could lead to even more immersive experiences.

Development of new cosmetic gloves for myoelectric prosthetic hand using superelastic rubber

This paper reports on the design and development of new cosmetic gloves made of two different superelastic rubbers – thermoplastic styrene elastomer (TSE) and silicone rubber (TSG silicone) – and compares them with gloves made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for myoelectric prosthetic hands to realize a realistic appearance and flexible motion. The materials are compared in terms of their appearance, material, mechanical, and sensing properties. Appearance properties include the shape, wrinkles, fingerprints, texture, nail, and color of the hand; these properties are designed so as to produce a prosthetic hand that looks similar to a human hand. The material properties are evaluated in terms of adaptability for daily living without preventing finger motions of the powered hand by performing a tear strength test. Mechanical properties are improved by designing the thickness of the palm to grip an object. The sensing properties are essential for acquiring information about the object and the environment. The overall performance is evaluated through a material engineering test and a pick-and-place test with a powered prosthetic hand. Tear strength comparisons showed that TSE and TSG silicone could respectively withstand 5–7 and 3 times the strain that PVC could withstand before breakage. The TSE glove shows the highest stretching length before breaking and shows high flexibility even after breaking. The electric currents during EMG prosthetic hand motion showed that TSE and TSG silicone gloves successfully reduced energy consumption by around one-third for many hand movements. Flexibility test results for the maximum opening posture showed that the PVC glove greatly restricted the hand opening width. However, the differences between the cases without and with TSE gloves were very small; therefore, both cases show the same range of motion. The flexible TSE facilitated easy fitting and therefore had the lowest fitting time; in fact, it can be worn in one-third the time required for wearing PVC or TSG silicone gloves. In pick-and-place experiments, TSG silicone and TSE gloves both showed similar results for successfully grasping objects. The TSE glove is hard to break and has high elasticity; therefore, nails can be added to it. Furthermore, TSG resin is thermosetting and can be processed at room temperature, making it easy to impart conductivity. Therefore, the TSG silicone material is more suitable for implementing a sensor.

Case study on the effects of fit and material of sports gloves on hand performance

Active and sports fashion in the high-end market focuses on fit, superior comfort and functional performance for various end-uses. However, the engineering design of sports gloves in relation to hand anthropometry measurements remains unclear. In this study, two types of ready-to-wear sport gloves, namely, war-gaming glove and hiking glove were purchased from the market. The glove dimensions, fabrication properties and the effect of glove fit on hand and finger dexterity were investigated. Thirty female individuals (20–29 years old) participated a series of hand performance tests and subjective perception rating assessments towards the gloves. Results indicated that the active range of motion of fingers, finger tactile sensitivity, gripping strength and ability to handle pegs and marbles decreased with the use of gloves compared with bare hands. The perceptions of comfort and ease of hand motions decreased with the increased of wear time. The glove fit in terms of finger length dimensions was significantly correlated with hand grip force. The glove fit in hand, wrist and finger circumference dimensions had significant impact on the ability to handle small objects. It is suggested that hand length, hand circumference, finger circumference and the ratio of finger length to palm length should be considered in the design and development of gloves to improve hand performance and comfort.

Novel digital glove design for virtual reality applications

Digital gloves play an important role in technology development for the life sciences, education, industrial processes, sports, augmented reality, and audiovisual entertainment. This paper proposes a novel digital glove design that integrates various features—including mechanical physical limit feedback, electric shock tactile feedback, finger bending sensation, finger gripping force and action prediction, and three-dimensional spatial positioning—to improve the feel and practical experience in virtual reality (VR). Hand dynamic perception and action prediction not only provide instantaneous data information, but can also predict actions to improve the system’s operational performance. Eight infrared light-emitting diodes are used for three-dimensional spatial positioning to allow for accurate location and simulation of the user’s hand in a virtual environment created using the Unity game engine. The proposed digital glove acts not only as a VR remote controller, but also provides physical feedback to the user that touches virtual objects. Future application areas of this digital glove include simulation training, medical rehabilitation, sports and leisure, and VR games, among others.

Performance of Prototype Pneumatic Boxing Gloves under Two Different Conditions of Target Padding

The impact damping capabilities of four different boxing gloves were assessed under two different conditions of target padding to determine whether target characteristics might influence previous conclusions concerning potential for impact mitigation through novel glove design. A conventional 10 oz glove (Std 10 oz), a conventional 16 oz glove (Std 16 oz), a prototype pneumatic glove with a sealed bladder (SBLI) and a prototype pneumatic glove with a bladder allowing air exchange with the external environment (ARLI) were each dropped three times on to a force plate from six heights ranging from 2.5 to 5.0 metres. The force plate was covered by a 50 mm thick mat of EVA material and results obtained were compared with those of an earlier experiment involving use of a similar protocol but a 25 mm thick EVA force plate covering. The thicker mat greatly reduced peak impact forces for all gloves, with values for the Std 10 oz glove becoming much closer to those reported by other researchers for punches delivered by elite boxers to crash test manikins. Peak rates of force development were also substantially decreased. Protective effects provided by the ARLI glove relative to the Std 10 oz glove were diminished but still in the order of 17% - 22% for peak impact force and 27% - 49% for peak rate of force development across the range of drop heights. With the 50 mm mat thickness, the SBLI glove was as effective as the ARLI glove in reducing peak impact force, whereas this was not the case with the 25 mm mat. It was, however, always inferior to the ARLI glove in decreasing peak rate of force development. The ability of the ARLI glove to afford protection across a spectrum of impact conditions could yield important practical advantages.

Iterative Design of Impact-Damping Gloves for Safer Boxing

Design methods were employed over a 5-year period to develop boxing gloves capable of substantially buffering impact forces delivered to an opponent, thereby permitting safer boxing. Multiple concepts were explored, with sophistication of prototypes gradually increasing. The protypes underwent both quantitative laboratory testing and qualitative evaluation in the field. The laboratory testing methods were evolved over time to enhance test reliability and ecological validity. Feedback from the laboratory and field trials was highly instrumental in guiding the process of glove development. It was eventually found that, compared to standard boxing gloves, pneumatic gloves with sealed bladders were effective in reducing peak impact forces and peak rates of force development when impact magnitudes were low to moderate but not when they were high. By contrast, pneumatic gloves incorporating a bladder enabling air exchange with the external environment were protective across the entire range of impact magnitudes likely to be encountered in boxing. These gloves are configured differently from standard gloves in terms of the positioning of the fist relative to the glove padding, but now have close visual resemblance to standard gloves. The aesthetics of the gloves have proven critical to their acceptance. Wearer comfort is also vital and, although we extensively pursued the concept of thumbless gloves, we finally deemed it necessary to include separate thumb compartments to accommodate user advice. There is scope for further glove refinement, but recent experience indicates that the latest version is currently sufficient for use in modified boxing programs that emphasise safety, with such targeted contextual sufficiency realising a fundamental aim commonly associated with projects employing the design approach. Small batches of the gloves have recently been manufactured to cater for modified boxing programs.

Arthritis patients’ experience and perception of therapeutic gloves

ABSTRACTTherapeutic gloves are widely used to manage arthritis patients’ hand symptoms and improve their hand function, but patients’ experience and perception towards the gloves are poorly understood. This research sought to gain insight into patients’ experience of wearing therapeutic gloves, their perceptions of the gloves and their preference in terms of glove design. Thirty arthritis patients who used therapeutic gloves as part of their rehabilitation treatment were surveyed. Adherence in wearing was good with 80% of the participants wore the gloves up to 8 hours a day. Most respondents found therapeutic gloves were soft to the skin and believed that they were effective. Problems identified included gloves leaving marks on the skin and itchy hands after gloves removal. The key characteristics identified by participants on gloves design will facilitate manufacturers and clinicians to improve the existing gloves in order to enhance its functions, comfort and users’ needs.

Design and experiment of a modular multisensory hand for prosthetic applications

PurposeThis paper aims to present the design and experiment of a modular multisensory prosthetic hand for applications. Design and experiment of a modular multisensory hand for prosthetic applications.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reveals more details focusing on the appearance, mechanism design, electrical design and control of the prosthetic hand considering anthropomorphism, dexterity, sensing and controllability. The finger is internally integrated with the actuator, the transmission mechanism, the sensors and the controller as a modular unit. Integrated with multiple sensors, the prosthetic hand can not only perceive the position, the contact force and the temperature of the environment like a human hand but also provide the foundation for the practical control.FindingsThe experiments show that the prosthetic hand can accurately control the contact force to achieve stable grasps based on the sensors feedback and a simple and effective force-tracking impedance control algorithm. In addition, the experiments based on the cosmesis validate not only the cosmesis functionality but also the control performance for a prosthesis–cosmesis system.Practical implicationsBecause of the small size, low weight, high integration, modularity and controllability, the prosthetic hand is easily applied to upper-limb amputees. Meanwhile, the finger as a modular unit is easy to be fixed, maintained and applied to a partial upper-limb amputee.Originality/valueEach modular finger of the prosthetic hand integrated with the actuator, the transmission mechanism, the sensors and the controller as a whole can independently control the position and the force. The cosmetic glove design can provide pretty appearance without compromising the control performance.