Glove attributes: Can they predict performance?

A number of human performance capabilities are compromised with gloves. Explanations for the strength reduction with gloved hands have ranged from lack of tactile feedback to improper fit. This paper reports two experiments that attempted to link glove attributes to performance decrements. Fifteen subjects participated in Experiment 1 in which grip and grasp strengths were measured using three different types of gloves. Tenacity, snugness, suppleness, and thickness were measured as glove attributes. Results indicate that tenacity and thickness are important while glove size is not. In experiment 2 six types of gloves were investigated in a gripping task. Fifty-two subjects participated in the experiment. Glove thickness appears to correlate well with percent reduction in grip strength as compared to bare-handed strength. Thicker gloves seem to result in greater strength reduction and greater perceived discomfort. The implications for the designer and practitioner are discussed.