Human hand-transmitted vibration measurements on pedestrian controlled tractor operators by a laser scanning vibrometer.

A first application of a new measurement technique to detect vibration transmitted to the human body in working conditions is presented. The technique is based on the use of a laser scanning vibrometer. It was previously developed, analysed and tested using laboratory test benches with electrodynamical exciters, and comparisons with traditional measurement techniques based on accelerometers were made. First, results of tests performed using a real machine generating vibration are illustrated. The machine used is a pedestrian-controlled tractor working in a fixed position. Reference measurements by using the accelerometer have been simultaneously performed while scanning the hand surface by the laser-based measurement system. Results achieved by means of both measurement techniques have been processed, analysed, compared and used to calculate transmissibility maps of the hands of three subjects.