Design and Development of a Wearable Device for Vibration Exposure Measurement

Abstract

Exposure to vibration affects every organ in the human body, leading to resistance and potential health hazards. Hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) is an occupational hazard in industries, causing hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and vascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal symptoms. To prevent these risks, continuous monitoring is essential. A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based accelerometer vibration monitoring device is indigenously developed for continuous monitoring. The acquired data is processed to determine parameters such as frequency weighted root mean square (rms) value in the three directions x, y, z (ahwx, ahwy, ahwz) and exposure action value (EAV) or A(8) according to ISO-5439 standard. The study involved ten participants subjected to a hand-held drilling operation, with sensors placed as per ISO 8662-3 standard. The participants were allowed to drill continuously for up to 5 minutes. The vibration metrics were calculated for different time intervals and were found to be 1.13±0.15, 2.25±0.21, and 3.49±0.24 m/s2 for 60, 90, and 120 s, respectively. The study showed that EAV increased with time, exceeding the threshold value limit of 2.5 m/s2 . The developed device is low-cost and helps in continuous monitoring of HTV exposure and alerts workers of high-vibration dosages that might cause vascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal