This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing, China (cstc2019jcyj-msxmX0046), the project of Chongqing Education Commission of China (KJQN202001127), and the project of Banan District Science and Technology Commission, Chongqing, China (2020TJZ010). The authors would like to thank Prof. Yan Yang for providing the test site. We are also grateful to Dr. Jingshu Wang and Dr. Jinghua Ma for their guidance of using the vibration measurement instrumentation. Thanks are also due to the subjects for their wholehearted cooperation during the experiments.

All procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee of Chongqing University of Technology and each subject provided written informed consent prior to participation in this study.
1. Hand tractor preparation
<ol>
	<li>Ensure the hand tractor is subjected to proper test conditions with a full fuel tank, without looseness of bolts, and without other mechanical defects that would result in abnormal vibration. 
	NOTE: The specifications of the hand tractor used in this experiment are given ...

<ol>
	<li>Ahmadian, H., Hassan-Beygi, S. R., Ghobadian, B., Najafi, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=ANFIS+modeling+of+vibration+transmissibility+of+a+power+tiller+to+operator.">ANFIS modeling of vibration transmissibility of a power tiller to operator.</a> Applied Acoustics. 138, 39-51 (2018).</li><li>Heaver, C., Goonetilleke, K. S., Ferguson, H., Shiralkar, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hand-arm+vibration+syndrome:+a+common+occupational+hazard+in+industrialized+countries.">Hand-arm vibration syndrome: a common occupational hazard in industrialized countries.</a> Journal of Hand Surgery. 36 (5), 354-363 (2011).</li><li>Geethanjali, G., Sujatha, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Study+of+Biomechanical+Response+of+Human+Hand-Arm+to+Random+Vibrations+of+Steering+Wheel+of+Tractor.">Study of Biomechanical Response of Human Hand-Arm to Random Vibrations of Steering Wheel of Tractor.</a> Molecular &amp; Cellular Biomechanics. 10 (4), 303-317 (2013).</li><li>International Organization for Standardization. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=ISO+5349-1:+Mechanical+Vibration:+Measurement+and+Evaluation+of+Human+Exposure+to+Hand+Transmitted+Vibration+Part+1:+General+requirements.">ISO 5349-1: Mechanical Vibration: Measurement and Evaluation of Human Exposure to Hand Transmitted Vibration Part 1: General requirements.</a> International Organization for Standardization. , (2001).</li><li>International Organization for Standardization. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=ISO5349-2:+Mechanical+vibration-+Measurement+and+evaluation+of+human+exposure+to+hand-transmitted+vibration.+Part+2:+Practical+guidance+for+measurement+at+the+workplace.">ISO5349-2: Mechanical vibration- Measurement and evaluation of human exposure to hand-transmitted vibration. Part 2: Practical guidance for measurement at the workplace.</a> International Organization for Standardization. , (2001).</li><li>Besa, A. J., Valero, F. J., Su&#241;er, J. L., Carballeira, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characterisation+of+the+mechanical+impedance+of+the+human+hand-arm+system:+The+influence+of+vibration+direction,+hand-arm+posture+and+muscle+tension.">Characterisation of the mechanical impedance of the human hand-arm system: The influence of vibration direction, hand-arm posture and muscle tension.</a> International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 37 (3), 225-231 (2007).</li><li>Marcotte, P., Aldien, Y., Boileau, P. &. #. 2. 0. 1. ;., Rakheja, S., Boutin, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effect+of+handle+size+and+hand-handle+contact+force+on+the+biodynamic+response+of+the+hand-arm+system+under+zh-axis+vibration.">Effect of handle size and hand-handle contact force on the biodynamic response of the hand-arm system under zh-axis vibration.</a> Journal of Sound and Vibration. 283 (3-5), 1071-1091 (2005).</li><li>Pan, D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+relationships+between+hand+coupling+force+and+vibration+biodynamic+responses+of+the+hand-arm+system.">The relationships between hand coupling force and vibration biodynamic responses of the hand-arm system.</a> Ergonomics. 61 (6), 818-830 (2018).</li><li>Dong, R. G., Rakheja, S., Schopper, A. W., Han, B., Smutz, W. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hand-transmitted+vibration+and+biodynamic+response+of+the+human+hand-arm:+a+critical+review.">Hand-transmitted vibration and biodynamic response of the human hand-arm: a critical review.</a> Critical Reviews In Biomedical Engineering. 29 (4), 393-439 (2001).</li><li>Marchetti, E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+investigation+on+the+vibration+transmissibility+of+the+human+elbow+subjected+to+hand-transmitted+vibration.">An investigation on the vibration transmissibility of the human elbow subjected to hand-transmitted vibration.</a> International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 62, 82-89 (2017).</li><li>McDowell, T. W., Welcome, D. E., Warren, C., Xu, X. S., Dong, R. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Assessment+of+hand-transmitted+vibration+exposure+from+motorized+forks+used+for+beach-cleaning+operations.">Assessment of hand-transmitted vibration exposure from motorized forks used for beach-cleaning operations.</a> Annals of Work Exposures and Health. 57 (1), 43-53 (2013).</li><li>Tony, B. J. A. R., Alphin, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Finite+element+analysis+to+assess+the+biomechanical+behavior+of+a+finger+model+gripping+handles+with+different+diameters.">Finite element analysis to assess the biomechanical behavior of a finger model gripping handles with different diameters.</a> Biomedical Human Kinetics. 11 (1), 69-79 (2019).</li><li>Tony, B. J. A. R., Alphin, M. S., Velmurugan, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Influence+of+handle+shape+and+size+to+reduce+the+hand-arm+vibration+discomfort.">Influence of handle shape and size to reduce the hand-arm vibration discomfort.</a> Work. 63 (3), 415-426 (2019).</li><li>Dewangan, V. K. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characteristics+of+hand-transmitted+vibration+of+a+hand+tractor+used+in+three+operational+modes.">Characteristics of hand-transmitted vibration of a hand tractor used in three operational modes.</a> International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 39 (1), 239-245 (2009).</li><li>Kalra, M., Rakheja, S., Marcotte, P., Dewangan, K. N., Adewusi, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Measurement+of+coupling+forces+at+the+power+tool+handle-hand+interface.">Measurement of coupling forces at the power tool handle-hand interface.</a> International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 50, 105-120 (2015).</li><li>Gurram, R., Rakheja, S., Gouw, G. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+study+of+hand+grip+pressure+distribution+and+EMG+of+finger+flexor+muscles+under+dynamic+loads.">A study of hand grip pressure distribution and EMG of finger flexor muscles under dynamic loads.</a> Ergonomics. 38 (4), 684-699 (1995).</li><li>Tarabini, M., Saggin, B., Scaccabarozzi, D., Moschioni, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hand-arm+mechanical+impedance+in+presence+of+unknown+vibration+direction.">Hand-arm mechanical impedance in presence of unknown vibration direction.</a> International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 43 (1), 52-61 (2013).</li><li>Aatola, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transmission+of+vibration+to+the+wrist+and+comparison+of+frequency+response+function+estimators.">Transmission of vibration to the wrist and comparison of frequency response function estimators.</a> Journal of Sound and Vibration. 131 (3), 497-507 (1989).</li><li>Kihlberg, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Biodynamic+response+of+the+hand-arm+system+to+vibration+from+an+impact+hammer+and+a+grinder.">Biodynamic response of the hand-arm system to vibration from an impact hammer and a grinder.</a> International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 16 (1), 1-8 (1995).</li><li>Gurram, R., Rakheja, S., Gouw, G. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Vibration+transmission+characteristics+of+the+human+hand-arm+and+gloves.">Vibration transmission characteristics of the human hand-arm and gloves.</a> International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 13 (3), 217-234 (1994).</li><li>Burstr&#246;m, A. S. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transmission+of+vibration+energy+to+different+parts+of+the+human+hand-arm+system.">Transmission of vibration energy to different parts of the human hand-arm system.</a> Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 70 (3), 199-204 (1997).</li><li>Hartung, E., Dupuis, H., Scheffer, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effects+of+grip+and+push+forces+on+the+acute+response+of+the+hand-arm+system+under+vibrating+conditions.">Effects of grip and push forces on the acute response of the hand-arm system under vibrating conditions.</a> International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. 64 (6), 463-467 (1993).</li><li>Pope, M. H., Magnusson, M., Hansson, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+upper+extremity+attenuates+intermediate+frequency+vibrations.">The upper extremity attenuates intermediate frequency vibrations.</a> Journal of Biomechanics. 30 (2), 103-108 (1997).</li><li>International Organization for Standardization. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=ISO+8041-1:+Human+response+to+vibration-Measuring+instrumentation.">ISO 8041-1: Human response to vibration-Measuring instrumentation.</a> International Organization for Standardization. , (2017).</li><li>Ying, Y. B., Zhang, L. B., Xu, F., Dong, M. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Vibratory+characteristics+and+hand-transmitted+vibration+reduction+of+walking+tractor.">Vibratory characteristics and hand-transmitted vibration reduction of walking tractor.</a> Transactions Of The ASAE. 41 (4), 917-922 (1998).</li><li>Dewangan, K. N., Tewari, V. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characteristics+of+vibration+transmission+in+the+hand-arm+system+and+subjective+response+during+field+operation+of+a+hand+tractor.">Characteristics of vibration transmission in the hand-arm system and subjective response during field operation of a hand tractor.</a> Biosystems Engineering. 100 (4), 535-546 (2008).</li><li>Xu, X. S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Vibrations+transmitted+from+human+hands+to+upper+arm,+shoulder,+back,+neck,+and+head.">Vibrations transmitted from human hands to upper arm, shoulder, back, neck, and head.</a> International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 62, 1-12 (2017).</li></ol>

The protocol presented in this study was established based on HTV standards4,5,24, and was developed as the standard steps for the measurement of the HTV of the human hand-arm system during the operation of a hand tractor in a stationary condition. This condition is the most stable state of the hand tractor to help ensure the reliable measurement of the vibration actually transmitted to the hand and arm. The range of variables c...

Hand tractors, also known as power tillers, are widely used in developing countries for the land preparation of small fields. The field operation of a hand tractor involves walking behind the machine and holding its handles to control its movement. The operators of hand tractors are exposed to high levels of vibration, which could be attributed to the small single cylinder engine and lack of suspension system of hand tractors1. The hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)2 can be caused by long-period endurance from the vibration, named hand transmitted vibration (HTV), which generated by the hand tractor and received by the operator&#39;s hands. To assess the health risks derived by operators&#39; exposure to the HTV of hand tractors, it is necessary to establish a method for the measurement of the vibration response of the hand-arm system.
The hand-arm system is composed of bones, muscles, tissues, veins and arteries, tendons and skin3, and the direct measurement of HTV poses many problems. The relevant international standards4,5 provide guidelines pertaining to the measurement of the severity of vibration generated in the immediate vicinity of the hand, including the coordinate system for the hand, the location and mounting of accelerometers, the measurement duration, cable connector problems, etc. However, the standards do not take into consideration intrinsic variables, such as the grip force, the posture of the hand and arm, individual factors, etc. These factors have been examined extensively under a wide range of vibration excitations and test conditions6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13, but the results of different investigators are not in good agreement. Many of these factors have not been sufficiently understood to be incorporated into standard methods. This restriction is partially attributable to the complexities of the human hand-arm system, the test conditions, and the differences in the experimental and measurement techniques employed.
Moreover, most of the earlier measurements of HTV were performed under carefully controlled conditions with idealized vibration excitations, grip force, and postural conditions. The findings and experimental procedures of these measurements, therefore, may not truly replicate real-world conditions, such as the operating conditions of hand tractors. Moreover, only limited efforts have been undertaken to study the HTV of hand tractors with field measurements. These measurements were performed using accelerometers attached to the operator&#39;s wrist, arm, chest, and head to measure the whole body vibration under the tractor&#39;s transportation conditions1, or under the conditions of tilling in an untilled field and puddling in a submerged field with different levels of engine speeds14. The effect of the grip force, which could be a crucial factor of HTV7,8, was not isolated. These methods are therefore unsuitable as standardized measurement procedures due to the operator&#39;s various forced postures during farming ascribed to the harsh environmental conditions.
The present research was undertaken to contribute to the establishment of reliable and repeatable procedures for the HTV measurement of hand tractors in a stationary mode. Figure 1 presents the schematic diagram of the experimental design. A hand tractor manufactured in China and commonly used by Chinese farmers was employed, and ten research workers were chosen as subjects for the study. Seven lightweight piezoelectric accelerometers attached to the tractor-hand-arm system were used to measure the vibration. One tachometer and two thin-film pressure sensors monitored the engine speed and grip force during testing. The subjects were required to sequentially operate the hand tractor at specified engine speeds and with specified grip forces to obtain the vibration characteristics in various operational modes. This manuscript provides a detailed protocol for the HTV measurement of the tractor-hand-arm system with unique consideration of changes in the grip force and vibration frequency.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Accelerometers</td>
			<td>PCB Piezotronics Inc.</td>
			<td>352C33, 356A04</td>
			<td>Used to measure vibration signals. Including 2 tri-axial accelerometers and 5 single-axis accelerometers.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CompactDAQ System</td>
			<td>National Instruments</td>
			<td>cRIO-9045,NI-9234 C</td>
			<td>Used for acceleration acquisition. The system consists of a chassis and 3 data acquisition cards.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Digital caliper</td>
			<td>Sanliang</td>
			<td>160800635</td>
			<td>Used to measure dimensions of the hand.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Digital goniometer</td>
			<td>Sanliang</td>
			<td>802973</td>
			<td>Used to measure hand and arm posture.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Laptop computer</td>
			<td>Lenovo</td>
			<td>Ideapad 500s</td>
			<td>To run the softwares.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Matlab</td>
			<td>MathWorks Inc.</td>
			<td>Version 2020a</td>
			<td>Used for data processing.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NI SignalExpress</td>
			<td>National Instruments</td>
			<td>Trial version 2015</td>
			<td>Use to acquire, analyze and present acceleration data.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tachometer</td>
			<td>Sanliang</td>
			<td>TM 680</td>
			<td>Used to measure engine speed.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Thin-film pressure sensing system</td>
			<td>YourCee</td>
			<td>n/a</td>
			<td>Used to measure grip force. The system consists of 2 thin-film sensors, a STM32 singlechip and a LED display.</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

measurement of the hand transmitted vibration of the human hand arm system during operation of a hand tractor

Operators of hand tractors are exposed to high levels of hand transmitted vibration (HTV). This vibration, which can be both irksome and hazardous to human health, is imparted to the operator via his or her hands and arms. However, a standardized method for measuring HTV of hand tractors has yet to be defined. The aim of the study was to present an experimental method for the investigation of the biodynamic response and vibration transmissibility of the hand-arm system during the operation of a hand tractor in a stationary mode. Measurements were performed with ten subjects using three grip forces and three handle vibration levels to examine the influences of the hand pressure and frequency on hand transmitted vibration (HTV). The results indicate that the tightness of grip on the handle influences the vibration response of the hand-arm system, especially at frequencies between 20 and 100 Hz. The transmission of lower frequencies in the hand-arm system was relatively unattenuated. In comparison, attenuation was found to be quite marked for higher frequencies during the operation of the hand tractor. The vibration transmissibility to different parts of the hand-arm system decreased with the increase of the distance from the vibration source. The proposed methodology contributes to the collection of consistent data for the evaluation of operator vibration exposure and the ergonomics development of hand tractors.

The experiment was carried out in the laboratory (air temperature 22.0 &#176;C &#177; 1.5 &#176;C) on ten healthy subjects (Table 2) during the operation of a hand tractor in a stationary condition.
Following the protocol, vibration acceleration data were collected from the handle of the hand tractor, as well as the back of the hand, the wrist, the arm, and the shoulder of each subject. The spectrum of the vibration acceleration occurring at the handle (input to the hand) was ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Measurement of the Hand Transmitted Vibration of the Human Hand Arm System During Operation of a Hand Tractor at JoVE.com

Measurement of the Hand Transmitted Vibration of the Human Hand Arm System During Operation of a Hand Tractor

Here, we present a standardized method for measurement of the hand transmitted vibration from handles of a single-axle tractor with special reference to changes in grip force and vibration frequency.

Operators of hand tractors are exposed to high levels of hand transmitted vibration (HTV). This vibration, which can be both irksome and hazardous to ...

The overall goal of this experiment is to investigate the biodynamic response and vibration transmissibility of the hand-arm system during the operation for hand tractor. This study provides a protocol for hand transmitted vibration measurement of the tractor-hand-arm system with consideration of changes in the grip force and vibration frequency. This method will be helpful for the understanding of the vibration transmission characteristics of the hand-arm system.Begin, place the hand tractor in a test site with dry, firm and a level ground surface. Remove the elastomeric materials of the handles. After obtaining informed consent from all the subjects, measure each subject's body dimensions including standing height, mass, forearm lengths, upper arm length and hand length.Wrap the accelerometer adapters tightly on the hand and arm of each subject. Each adapter was a fabricated using a nylon strap and a piece of galvanized iron sheet to provide a rigid and light attachment. The accelerometer adapters were wrapped at the locations of the back of the hand, distal end of the forearm, proximal end of the forearm, distal end of the upper arm, proximal end of the upper arm and the acromion.Before initiating a measurement, gather all of the components of the measurement system, including accelerometers, data acquisition system, thin-film pressure sensing system, tachometer, digital goniometer, accelerometer adapters and other relevant components. To set up the acceleration measurement system, first, using the accelerometer cables, connect the accelerometers with the data acquisition card. using an Ethernet cable, connect the chassis with the computer.Then, attach one tri-axial accelerometer on the left handle or the hand tractor, and attach the other one on the accelerometer adapter of the subject's left hand. Attach single-axis accelerometers one by one, on the accelerometer adapters of the subject's arm and shoulder. Adjust orientations of the tri-axial accelerometers to be consistent with the specified coordinate system.Finally, using adhesive tape, secure the accelerometer cables on the skin surface of the subject's arm and the tractor's handlebar. To set up the grip force measurement system, first, using double-sided adhesive tape, attach two thin-film sensors on the left handle of the hand tractor. Then, place the screen system at a convenient height.So that the subject could monitor and adjust the grip force to the specified level during the operation of the hand tractor. After that, instruct the subject to hold and raise the handle to a horizontal position. Measure the subject's hand and arm posture using a digital goniometer, including the shoulder horizontal abduction, the shoulder vertical abduction, the elbow extension, the wrist extension and the wrist deviation.Ask the subject to maintain the posture until the end of the trial. Start the hand tractor in neutral, and keep running at a low engine speed until it is stabilized. Turn on the tachometer, thin-film pressure sensing device, laptop computer, and the acceleration data acquisition system.Set the parameters of acceleration, acquisition mode and sampling rate for data collection. Click Run and wait about ten seconds until the system stabilized, then click Record to start recording the acceleration data. During the testing, ask the subject to monitor the tachometer and adjust the engine speed to 1, 500 revolutions per minute until it is stabilized.Then, instruct the subject adjust the grip force carefully to 20 Newtons, and keep this grip force level for about 30 seconds. Next, adjust the grip force to 30 Newtons and keep about 30 seconds. And then, adjust the grip force to 40 Newtons and keep about 30 seconds.After that, adjust the engine speed to 2, 500 revolutions per minute and repeat the above procedure of grip force adjustment. Last, adjust the engine speed to 3, 500 revolutions per minute and repeat the above procedures of grip force adjustment. At the end of the trial, instruct the subject to put down the handle and shut down the engine of the hand tractor.Save the vibration acceleration data, remove and place the accelerometers on the next subject. Repeat the above steps until the end of the data collections of all the subjects. And export the acceleration time-series data for further analysis.These plots display samples of the time domain and frequency domain accelerations on the handle for half a second time duration. The maximum acceleration of the X and Z directions occurred at the frequency of 58 Hertz. Most of the vibration energy was found to be centralized in the frequency range from 50 to 200 hertz.The mean relationship between the grip force and root-mean square acceleration of the hand-arm system was obtained. It was observed that the increase in the grip force increased the vibration acceleration notably at frequencies between 20 and 100 Hertz. And the three resonance frequencies were found to increase almost linearly with the increase of the grip force.Meanwhile, the relationship between the engine speed and root-mean-square acceleration was obtained. As shown in the plots, lower frequencies were transmitted relatively unattenuated. While, attenuation was quite marked for higher frequencies.Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that, most of the vibrational energy was dissipated in the hand and the forearm. This figure presents the averaged transmissibility at different locations of the hand-arm system. It was found that the transmissibility of the hand-arm system decreased with the increase of the distance from the vibration source.The highest transmissibility was observed at the back of the hand. The resonant frequency of the wrist and elbow transmissibility was around 20 hertz. It was also found that only vibrations of less than 25 Hertz were effectively transmitted to the forearm, upper arm and the shoulder.This method was established based on hand transmitted vibration standards, and was developed as a standard protocol for the measurement of the hand transmitted vibration of the human hand-arm system during the operation of a hand tractor in a stationary condition. The total weight of the accelerometer and adapter should be as light as possible to reduce measurement errors. The test trial of each subject should be completed without interruption to reduce the effect of the operating posture.The main potential applications of the proposed methodology are the estimation of human-tractor interaction phenomena, the ergonomics development of hand tractors, and the development of protective devices such as isolators and gloves.

measurement-hand-transmitted-vibration-human-hand-arm-system-during

Research

JoVE Journal

Engineering

4.2K ビュー.  Chongqing University of Technology. この実験の全体的な目標は、ハンドトラクターの操作中に、手腕システムの生体力学的応答と振動透過性を調査することです。本研究は、グリップ力と振動周波数の変化を考慮したトラクター・ハンドアームシステムの手伝振動測定プロトコルを提供する。この方法は、ハンドアームシステムの振動伝達特性を理解するのに役立ちます。始めて、乾燥した、しっか?...

ビデオ: Measurement of the Hand Transmitted Vibration of the Human Hand Arm System During Operation of a Hand Tractor

Here, we present a standardized method for measurement of the hand transmitted vibration from handles of a single-axle tractor with special reference to changes in grip force and vibration...

hand dissection of caenorhabditis elegans intestines

Hand Dissection of Caenorhabditis elegans Intestines

The present protocol describes a procedure for isolating intestines from adult Caenorhabditis elegans nematode worms by hand for input in genomics, proteomics, microbiome, or other assays.

Hand Dissection of Caenorhabditis elegans Intestines

design, fabrication, and administration of the hand active sensation test (haste)

Design, Fabrication, and Administration of the Hand Active Sensation Test HASTe

The Hand Active Sensation Test (HASTe) is a valid and reliable measure of haptic performance, which has been used successfully to identify impaired haptic touch in individuals with stroke. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design, fabrication and administration of the HASTe.

Design, Fabrication, and Administration of the Hand Active Sensation Test (HASTe)

a murine model of hemodialysis access-related hand dysfunction

A Murine Model of Hemodialysis Access-Related Hand Dysfunction

This protocol details the surgical steps of murine common iliac arteriovenous fistula creation. We developed this model to study hemodialysis access-related limb pathophysiology.

efficiently recording the eye-hand coordination to incoordination spectrum

Efficiently Recording the Eye-Hand Coordination to Incoordination Spectrum

Cerebral injury can damage both ocular and somatic motor systems. Characterization of motor control post-injury affords biomarkers that assist in disease detection, monitoring, and prognosis. We review a method to measure eye-hand movement control in health and in pathologic incoordination, with look-and-reach paradigms to assess coordination between eye and...

functional mri in conjunction with a novel mri-compatible hand-induced robotic device to evaluate rehabilitation of individuals recovering from hand grip deficits

Functional MRI in Conjunction with a Novel MRI-compatible Hand-induced Robotic Device to Evaluate Rehabilitation of Individuals Recovering from Hand Grip Deficits

We performed functional MRI using a novel MRI-compatible hand-induced robotic device to evaluate its utility for monitoring hand motor function in individuals recovering from neurological...

utility of dissociated intrinsic hand muscle atrophy in the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Utility of Dissociated Intrinsic Hand Muscle Atrophy in the Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Dissociated atrophy of intrinsic hand muscles, termed the split hand, appears to be a specific feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).&#160;Consequently, a novel neurodiagnostic test, termed the split hand&#160;index, was developed to quantify the clinical phenomenon of the split hand, which differentiated ALS from mimic...

mouse craniotomy for free-hand intracerebroventricular injection

Mouse Craniotomy for Free-Hand Intracerebroventricular Injection

development of a novel task-oriented rehabilitation program using a bimanual exoskeleton robotic hand

Development of a Novel Task-oriented Rehabilitation Program using a Bimanual Exoskeleton Robotic Hand

This study reports the development of a novel robot-assisted task-oriented program for hand rehabilitation. The developmental process consists of experiments using both healthy subjects and subjects who have had a stroke and suffered from subsequent motor control...

hand-rearing method for infant marmosets

Author Spotlight: Marmoset Research - Scope and Challenges 

Here, we describe a hand-rearing method for raising infant marmosets in an animal incubator. This method greatly increases the survival rate of marmoset infants, which provides the opportunity to study the development of marmoset infants with similar genetic backgrounds raised in different postnatal...

Hand-Rearing Method for Infant Marmosets

high-frequency ultrasonography of the digital and palmar nerve branches of the hand in peripheral nerve diseases

High-frequency Ultrasonography of the Digital and Palmar Nerve Branches of the Hand in Peripheral Nerve Diseases

The present protocol describes high-frequency neuromuscular ultrasonography of the digital and palmar branches of the median and ulnar nerve, which can aid in localizing peripheral nerve diseases and be adapted to evaluate digital nerve injuries.

free-hand intracerebroventricular injections in mice

Author Spotlight: Insights, Innovations, and Future Avenues in Reproductive Neurocontrol 

Here, a simple and rapid approach for performing intracerebroventricular injections in mice using a free-hand approach (that is, without a stereotaxic device) is...

Free-Hand Intracerebroventricular Injections in Mice

hand controlled manipulation of single molecules via a scanning probe microscope with a 3d virtual reality interface

Hand Controlled Manipulation of Single Molecules via a Scanning Probe Microscope with a 3D Virtual Reality Interface

We demonstrate the precise manipulation of individual organic molecules on a metal surface with the tip of a scanning probe microscope driven in 3D by the experimenter's hand using a motion capture system and fully immersive virtual reality...

creating virtual-hand and virtual-face illusions to investigate self-representation

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Here, we describe virtual-hand and virtual-face illusion paradigms that can be used to study body-related self-perception/-representation. They have already been used in various studies to demonstrate that, under specific conditions, a virtual hand or face can be incorporated into one&#39;s body representation, suggesting that body representations are rather...

hand-rearing procedure for raising newborn marmosets

Hand-Rearing Procedure for Raising Newborn Marmosets  

preparation and imaging of free-hand leaf sections for assessing the anatomical differences between c3 and c4 leaf

Preparation and Imaging of Free-Hand Leaf Sections for Assessing the Anatomical Differences Between C3 and C4 Leaf

hand-held clinical photoacoustic imaging system for real-time non-invasive small animal imaging

Hand-held Clinical Photoacoustic Imaging System for Real-time Non-invasive Small Animal Imaging

A clinical handheld photoacoustic imaging system will be demonstrated for real-time non-invasive small animal...

the crossmodal congruency task as a means to obtain an objective behavioral measure in the rubber hand illusion paradigm

The Crossmodal Congruency Task as a Means to Obtain an Objective Behavioral Measure in the Rubber Hand Illusion Paradigm

We demonstrate how an objective measure can be employed in the widely employed rubber hand illusion paradigm. This measure is obtained by modifying the well-established crossmodal congruency task. This task allows the investigation of multisensory processes which are critical for modulations of body representations as in the rubber hand...

virtual hand with ambiguous movement between the self and other origin: sense of ownership and 'other-produced' agency

Virtual Hand with Ambiguous Movement between the Self and Other Origin: Sense of Ownership and &#039;Other-Produced&#039; Agency

While previous research on bodily self-consciousness assumed that self- and other-origin movements were perceptually distinguishable, this protocol allows them to be ambiguous on a virtual hand with unintentional slight movements. This enables us to observe one&#8217;s experience formed by SoO and other-produced SoA, rather than the absence of...

Virtual Hand with Ambiguous Movement between the Self and Other Origin: Sense of Ownership and 'Other-Produced' Agency

universal hand-held three-dimensional optoacoustic imaging probe for deep tissue human angiography and functional preclinical studies in real time

Universal Hand-held Three-dimensional Optoacoustic Imaging Probe for Deep Tissue Human Angiography and Functional Preclinical Studies in Real Time

We provide herein a detailed description of the experimental protocol for imaging with a newly developed hand-held optoacoustic (photoacoustic) system for three-dimensional functional and molecular imaging in real time. The demonstrated powerful performance and versatility may define new application areas of the optoacoustic technology in preclinical research and clinical...

Experimental Measurement of Settling Velocity of Spherical Particles in Unconfined and Confined Surfactant-based Shear Thinning Viscoelastic Fluids

An experimental study is performed to measure the terminal settling velocities of spherical particles in surfactant based shear thinning viscoelastic (VES) fluids. The measurements are made for particles settling in unbounded fluids&#160;and fluids between parallel walls. VES fluids over a wide range of rheological properties are prepared and rheologically characterized. The rheological characterization involves steady shear-viscosity and dynamic oscillatory-shear measurements to quantify the viscous and elastic properties respectively. The settling velocities under unbounded conditions are measured in beakers having diameters at least 25x the diameter of particles. For measuring settling velocities between parallel walls, two experimental cells with different wall spacing are constructed. Spherical particles of varying sizes are gently dropped in the fluids and allowed to settle. The process is recorded with a high resolution video camera and the trajectory of the particle is recorded using image analysis software. Terminal settling velocities are calculated from the data.
The impact of elasticity on settling velocity in unbounded fluids is quantified by comparing the experimental settling velocity to the settling velocity calculated by the inelastic drag predictions of Renaud et al.1&#160;Results show that elasticity of fluids can increase or decrease the settling velocity. The magnitude of reduction/increase is a function of the rheological properties of the fluids and properties of particles. Confining walls are observed to cause a retardation effect on settling and the retardation is measured in terms of wall factors.

This paper demonstrates the experimental procedure to measure terminal settling velocities of spherical particles in surfactant-based shear thinning viscoelastic fluids. Fluids over a wide range of rheological properties are prepared and settling velocities are measured for a range of particle sizes in unbounded fluids and fluids between parallel walls.

An experimental study is performed to measure the terminal settling velocities of spherical particles in surfactant based shear thinning viscoelastic ...

Fabrication and Operation of a Nano-Optical Conveyor Belt

The technique of using focused laser beams to trap and exert forces on small particles has enabled many pivotal discoveries in the nanoscale biological and physical sciences over the past few decades. The progress made in this field invites further study of even smaller systems and at a larger scale, with tools that could be distributed more easily and made more widely available. Unfortunately, the fundamental laws of diffraction limit the minimum size of the focal spot of a laser beam, which makes particles smaller than a half-wavelength in diameter hard to trap and generally prevents an operator from discriminating between particles which are closer together than one half-wavelength. This precludes the optical manipulation of many closely-spaced nanoparticles and&#160;limits the&#160;resolution of optical-mechanical systems. Furthermore, manipulation using focused beams requires beam-forming or steering optics, which can be very bulky and expensive. To address these limitations in the system scalability of conventional optical trapping our lab has devised an alternative technique which utilizes near-field optics to move particles across a chip. Instead of focusing laser beams in the far-field, the optical near field of plasmonic resonators produces the necessary local optical intensity enhancement to overcome the restrictions of diffraction and manipulate particles at higher resolution. Closely-spaced resonators produce strong optical traps which can be addressed to mediate the hand-off of particles from one to the next in a conveyor-belt-like fashion. Here, we describe how to design and produce a conveyor belt using a gold surface patterned with plasmonic C-shaped resonators and how to operate it with polarized laser light to achieve super-resolution nanoparticle manipulation and transport. The nano-optical conveyor belt chip can be produced using lithography techniques and easily packaged and distributed.

The scalability and resolution of conventional optical manipulation techniques are limited by diffraction. We circumvent the diffraction limit and describe a method of optically transporting nanoparticles across a chip using a gold surface patterned with a path of closely spaced C-shaped plasmonic resonators.

The technique of using focused laser beams to trap and exert forces on small particles has enabled many pivotal discoveries in the nanoscale biological ...

The Measurement of Unsteady Surface Pressure Using a Remote Microphone Probe

Microphones are widely applied to measure pressure fluctuations at the walls of solid bodies immersed in turbulent flows. Turbulent motions with various characteristic length scales can result in pressure fluctuations over a wide frequency range. This property of turbulence requires sensing devices to have sufficient sensitivity over a wide range of frequencies. Furthermore, the small characteristic length scales of turbulent structures require small sensing areas and the ability to place the sensors in very close proximity to each other. The complex geometries of the solid bodies, often including large surface curvatures or discontinuities, require the probe to have the ability to be set up in very limited spaces. The development of a remote microphone probe, which is inexpensive, consistent, and repeatable, is described in the present communication. It allows for the measurement of pressure fluctuations with high spatial resolution and dynamic response over a wide range of frequencies. The probe is small enough to be placed within the interior of typical wind tunnel models. The remote microphone probe includes a small, rigid, and hollow tube that penetrates the model surface to form the sensing area. This tube is connected to a standard microphone, at some distance away from the surface, using a "T" junction. An experimental method is introduced to determine the dynamic response of the remote microphone probe. In addition, an analytical method for determining the dynamic response is described. The analytical method can be applied in the design stage to determine the dimensions and properties of the RMP components.

Here, we present a protocol to measure, with high spatial resolution, the unsteady surface pressure in turbulent flows. This method demonstrates the construction of a remote microphone probe (RMP) and the determination of its frequency-dependent, complex transfer function. An analytical determination of the dynamic response is presented and validated.

Microphones are widely applied to measure pressure fluctuations at the walls of solid bodies immersed in turbulent flows. Turbulent motions with various ...

Considering organic molecules as the functional building blocks of future nanoscale technology, the question of how to arrange and assemble such building blocks in a bottom-up approach is still open. The scanning probe microscope (SPM) could be a tool of choice; however, SPM-based manipulation was until recently limited to two dimensions (2D). Binding the SPM tip to a molecule at a well-defined position opens an opportunity of controlled manipulation in 3D space. Unfortunately, 3D manipulation is largely incompatible with the typical 2D-paradigm of viewing and generating SPM data on a computer. For intuitive and efficient manipulation we therefore couple a low-temperature non-contact atomic force/scanning tunneling microscope (LT NC-AFM/STM) to a motion capture system and fully immersive virtual reality goggles. This setup permits &#34;hand controlled manipulation&#34; (HCM), in which the SPM tip is moved according to the motion of the experimenter&#39;s hand, while the tip trajectories as well as the response of the SPM junction are visualized in 3D. HCM paves the way to the development of complex manipulation protocols, potentially leading to a better fundamental understanding of nanoscale interactions acting between molecules on surfaces. Here we describe the setup and the steps needed to achieve successful hand-controlled molecular manipulation within the virtual reality environment.

We demonstrate the precise manipulation of individual organic molecules on a metal surface with the tip of a scanning probe microscope driven in 3D by the experimenter's hand using a motion capture system and fully immersive virtual reality goggles.

Considering organic molecules as the functional building blocks of future nanoscale technology, the question of how to arrange and assemble such building ...

Standardized Method for Measuring Collection Efficiency from Wipe-sampling of Trace Explosives

One of the limiting steps to detecting traces of explosives at screening venues is effective collection of the sample. Wipe-sampling is the most common procedure for collecting traces of explosives, and standardized measurements of collection efficiency are needed to evaluate and optimize sampling protocols. The approach described here is designed to provide this measurement infrastructure, and controls most of the factors known to be relevant to wipe-sampling. Three critical factors (the applied force, travel distance, and travel speed) are controlled using an automated device. Test surfaces are chosen based on similarity to the screening environment, and the wipes can be made from any material considered for use in wipe-sampling. Particle samples of the explosive 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) are applied in a fixed location on the surface using a dry-transfer technique. The particle samples, recently developed to simulate residues made after handling explosives, are produced by inkjet printing of RDX solutions onto polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) substrates. Collection efficiency is measured by extracting collected explosive from the wipe, and then related to critical sampling factors and the selection of wipe material and test surface. These measurements are meant to guide the development of sampling protocols at screening venues, where speed and throughput are primary considerations.

Optimized sampling protocols and the development of new wipe materials can be facilitated by standardized measurements of collection efficiency from wipe-sampling. Our approach for sampling trace explosives uses an automated device to control speed, force, and distance during wipe-sampling followed by extraction of collected explosives.

One of the limiting steps to detecting traces of explosives at screening venues is effective collection of the sample. Wipe-sampling is the most common ...

Generation of Size-controlled Poly (ethylene Glycol) Diacrylate Droplets via Semi-3-Dimensional Flow Focusing Microfluidic Devices

Uniform and size-controllable poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) droplets could be produced via the flow focusing process in a microfluidic device. This paper proposes a semi-three-dimensional (semi-3D) flow-focusing microfluidic chip for droplet formation. The polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip was fabricated using the multi-layer soft lithography method. Hexadecane containing surfactant was used as the continuous phase, and PEGDA with the ultraviolet (UV) photo-initiator was the dispersed phase. Surfactants allowed the local surface tension to drop and formed a more cusped tip which promoted breaking into tiny micro-droplets. As the pressure of dispersed phase was constant, the size of droplets became smaller with increasing continuous phase pressure before dispersed phase flow was broken off. As a result, droplets with size variation from 1 &#181;m to 80 &#181;m in diameter could be selectively achieved by changing the pressure ratio in two inlet channels, and the average coefficient of variation was estimated to be below 7%. Furthermore, droplets could turn into micro-beads by UV exposure for photo-polymerization. Conjugating biomolecules on such micro-beads surface have many potential applications in the fields of biology and chemistry.

Generation of Size-controlled Poly ethylene Glycol Diacrylate Droplets via Semi-3-Dimensional Flow Focusing Microfluidic Devices

Here, we present a protocol to illustrate the fabrication processes and verifying experiments of a semi-three-dimensional (semi-3D) flow-focusing microfluidic chip for droplet formation.

Uniform and size-controllable poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) droplets could be produced via the flow focusing process in a microfluidic device. ...

Construction and Operation of a Light-driven Gold Nanorod Rotary Motor System

The possibility to generate and measure rotation and torque at the nanoscale is of fundamental interest to the study and application of biological and artificial nanomotors and may provide new routes towards single cell analysis, studies of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, and mechanical actuation of nanoscale systems. A facile way to drive rotation is to use focused circularly polarized laser light in optical tweezers. Using this approach, metallic nanoparticles can be operated as highly efficient scattering-driven rotary motors spinning at unprecedented rotation frequencies in water.
In this protocol, we outline the construction and operation of circularly-polarized optical tweezers for nanoparticle rotation and describe the instrumentation needed for recording the Brownian dynamics and Rayleigh scattering of the trapped particle. The rotational motion and the scattering spectra provides independent information on the properties of the nanoparticle and its immediate environment. The experimental platform has proven useful as a nanoscopic gauge of viscosity and local temperature, for tracking morphological changes of nanorods and molecular coatings, and as a transducer and probe of photothermal and thermodynamic processes.

Plasmonic gold nanorods can be trapped in liquids and rotated at kHz frequencies using circularly-polarized optical tweezers. Introducing tools for Brownian dynamics analysis and light scatteringspectroscopy leads to a powerful system for research and application in numerous fields of science.

The possibility to generate and measure rotation and torque at the nanoscale is of fundamental interest to the study and application of biological and ...

Fabrication of Soft Pneumatic Network Actuators with Oblique Chambers

Soft pneumatic network actuators have become one of the most promising actuation devices in soft robotics which benefits from their large bending deformation and low input. However, their monotonous bending motion form in two-dimensional (2-D) space keeps them away from wide applications. This paper presents a detailed fabrication method of soft pneumatic network actuators with oblique chambers, to explore their motions in three-dimensional (3-D) space. The design of oblique chambers enables actuators with tunable coupled bending and twisting capabilities, which gives them the possibility to move dexterously in flexible manipulators, to become biologically inspired robots and medical devices. The fabrication process is based on the molding method, including the silicone elastomer preparation, chamber and base parts fabrication, actuator assembly, tubing connections, checks for leaks, and actuator repair. The fabrication method guarantees the rapid manufacturing of a series of actuators with only a few modifications in the molds. The test results show the high quality of the actuators and their prominent bending and twisting capabilities. Experiments of the gripper demonstrate the advantages of the development in adapting to objects with different diameters and providing sufficient friction.

Here we present a fabrication method of soft pneumatic network actuators with oblique chambers. The actuators are capable of generating coupled bending and twisting motions, which broadens their application in soft robotics.

Soft pneumatic network actuators have become one of the most promising actuation devices in soft robotics which benefits from their large bending ...

Operation of the Collaborative Composite Manufacturing (CCM) System

The automated tape placement and the automated fiber placement (AFP) machines provide a safer working environment and reduce the labor intensity of workers than the traditional manual fiber placement does. Thus, the production accuracy, repeatability and efficiency of composite manufacturing are significantly improved. However, the current AFP systems can only produce the composite components with large open surface or simple revolution parts, which cannot meet the growing interest in small complex or closed structures from industry.
In this research, by employing a 1-degree of freedom (DoF) rotational stage, a 6-RSS parallel robot, and a 6-DoF serial robot, the dexterity of the AFP system can be significantly improved for manufacturing complex composite parts. The rotational stage mounted on the parallel robot is utilized to hold the mandrel and the serial robot carries the placement head to mimic two human hands that have enough dexterity to lay the fiber to the mandrel with complex contour.
Although the CCM system increases the flexibility of composite manufacturing, it is quite time-consuming or even impossible to generate the feasible off-line path, which ensures uniform lay-up of subsequent fibers considering the constraints like singularities, collisions between the fiber placement head and mandrel, smooth fiber direction change and keeping the fiber placement head along the norm of the part&#39;s surface, etc. Moreover, due to the existing positioning error of the robots, the on-line path correction is needed. Therefore, the on-line pose correction algorithm is proposed to correct the paths of both parallel and serial robots, and to keep the relative path between the two robots unchanged through the visual feedback when the constraint or singularity problems in the off-line path planning occur. The experimental results demonstrate the designed CCM system can fulfill the movement needed for manufacturing a composite structure with Y-shape.

Operation of the Collaborative Composite Manufacturing CCM System

A collaborative composite manufacturing system is developed for robotic lay-up of composite laminates using the prepreg tape. The proposed system allows the production of composite laminates with high levels of geometrical complexity. The issues in the path planning, coordination of the robots and control are addressed in the proposed method.

The automated tape placement and the automated fiber placement (AFP) machines provide a safer working environment and reduce the labor intensity of ...

Application of a Coupling Agent to Improve the Dielectric Properties of Polymer-Based Nanocomposites

In this work, an easy, low-cost, and widely applicable method was developed to improve the compatibility between the ceramic fillers and the polymer matrix by adding 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550) as a coupling agent during the fabrication process of BaTiO3-P(VDF-CTFE) nanocomposites through solution casting. Results show that the use of KH550 can modify the surface of ceramic nanofillers; therefore, good wettability on the ceramic-polymer interface was achieved, and the enhanced energy storage performances were obtained by a suitable amount of the coupling agent. This method can be used to prepare flexible composites, which is highly desirable for the production of high-performance film capacitors. If an excessive amount of coupling agent is used in the process, the non-attached coupling agent can participate in complex reactions, which leads to a decrease in dielectric constant and an increase in dielectric loss.

Here, we demonstrate a simple and low-cost solution-casting process to improve the compatibility between the filler and the matrix of polymer-based nanocomposites using surface modified BaTiO3 fillers, which can effectively enhance the energy density of the composites.

In this work, an easy, low-cost, and widely applicable method was developed to improve the compatibility between the ceramic fillers and the polymer ...