title: Adapting the force characteristics of a staple gun to the human hand.
abstract: Three prototype staple guns with modified force characteristics were compared with a commercially available standard staple gun with a linearly increasing force resistance during squeezing. The force characteristics of the prototypes were more or less adapted to the force characteristics of the human hand, and in one of the staple guns the general force level was also reduced by one third. Evaluation instruments were electromyography of the forearm flexors and extensors, subjective rating of forearm exertion and subjects' free comments about the four tools. Twelve professional craftsmen were recruited as test subjects. The results show significantly lower readings for two of the three prototypes compared with the standard gun in electromyography as well as subjective ratings. The squeezing times are also reduced for two of the prototypes. It is concluded that the choice of force characteristics of a staple gun is important both to minimize forearm muscular exertion and to increase tool efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ergonomics, School of Technology and Health, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Alfred Nobels Allé 10, SE-141 52 Huddinge, Sweden. Electronic address: goran.hagg@sth.kth.se.
authors.forename: Göran M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hägg
authors.affiliation: Lotta Runeson Sjukgymnastik, Borås, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lotta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Runeson
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004576:Electromyography; D004867:Equipment Design; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans
keywords: Hand; Repetitive work; Tool