A new type of vibration-measuring glove has been developed
Coventry City Council in the UK has ordered a new type of vibration-measuring glove for its highway crews.
The HAV-Sentry glove has been developed by Feraru Dynamics to protect wearers from debilitating hand arm vibration syndrome. It monitors vibration in the hand induced by machinery and warns the wearer when a break is required.
A battery-powered monitor on the glove provides a visual indicator of vibration exposure status. A standalone data acquisition and charging station enables information to be gathered, recorded and analysed.
Feraru Dynamics, itself based in Coventry, launched the glove in 2020 after two years of developing prototypes and completing validation tests. It benefited from a grant of £11,992 from the Coventry & Warwickshire Innovation Programme.
Andrei Feraru, co-founder and managing director, said industry feedback from the early stages of its conception had been positive.
“I initially had the idea for the HAV-Sentry while I was doing a work placement at Rolls-Royce in Derby during my mechanical engineering degree from Coventry University,” he said. “It changed my career path and I decided to invent a product that would ease hazardous exposures in the workplace.
“It is a legal requirement to protect people against vibration and this is a real issue since workers can develop an irreversible condition with one or two years’ continuous exposure. The symptoms are severe and can cause real pain.
“The feedback from industry has been really, really important along with the Growth Hub who made me aware of the ERDF grant. Their connections to businesses in manufacturing and engineering have also been vital.”