A novel force transducer for the measurement of grip force.
A new strain gauge transducer has been developed to measure functional grip forces. The gripping area is a cylinder of diameter 30 mm and length 150 mm and simulates the handle of a number of devices, allowing a range of activities to be studied. The device measures radial forces divided into six components and forces of up to 250 N per segment can be measured with an accuracy of +/- 1%. The device therefore gives information about the magnitude and distribution of force around the cylinder during gripping, and has been shown to be a valuable research tool in a study of four different types of grip, providing valuable input data for biomechanical models.
Chadwick
E K
EK
Bioengineering Unit, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
Nicol
A C
AC
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002138:Calibration; D004867:Equipment Design; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D014159:Transducers