Title: Development of a gripping comfort evaluation method based on numerical simulations using individual hand finite element models

Authors: Kazuki Hokari; Jonas A. Pramudita; Kazuya Okada; Masato Ito; Yuji Tanabe

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, School of Engineering, Nippon Bunri University, 1727 Ichigi, Oita-shi, Oita, 870-0397, Japan ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Nihon University, 1 Nakagawara, Tokusada, Tamuramachi, Koriyama-shi, Fukushima, 963-8642, Japan ' Product Analysis Center, Panasonic Holdings Corporation, 1048 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka, 571-8686, Japan ' Product Analysis Center, Panasonic Holdings Corporation, 1048 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka, 571-8686, Japan ' Management Strategy Section, President Office, Niigata University, 8050 Ikarashi 2-no-cho, Nishi-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan

Abstract: In this study, three individual hand finite element models with different dimensions were developed to perform grasping simulations. The performance of the three models was assessed by comparing the simulation results with experimental results in terms of gripping posture, contact pressure, and gripping comfort score. Results indicate that gripping comfort scores can be evaluated with sufficient precision by the grasping simulation. A contact pressure distribution dataset was then obtained by conducting grasping simulations under different conditions. Furthermore, a gripping comfort score dataset was generated by assigning the normalised contact pressures into a regression equation developed in a previous study (Hokari et al., 2019a). Consequently, gripping comfort can be evaluated more easily using a regression equation that predicts the gripping comfort score from the hand length and position of the thumb. The proposed evaluation method will allow designers to easily and quickly develop products with better gripping comfort.

Keywords: grasping simulation; hand finite element model; hand dimension; gripping posture; contact pressure; gripping comfort score; dataset; regression equation; hand length; evaluation method.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFE.2023.130538

International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 2023 Vol.10 No.2, pp.187 - 206

Received: 19 May 2022
Accepted: 07 Oct 2022
Published online: 26 Apr 2023 *