Effects of EVA spacesuit glove on grasping and pinching tasks

The human hand has a wide range of degrees of freedom, allowing a great variety of movements, and is also one of the most sensitive parts of the human body. Due to these characteristics, it is the most important tool for astronauts to perform extravehicular activities (EVA). However, astronauts must wear mandatory EVA equipment to be protected from the harsh conditions in space and this strongly reduces hand performance, in particular as regards dexterity, tactile perception, mobility and fatigue. Several studies have been conducted to determine the influence of the EVA glove on manual capabilities, both in the past and more recently. This study presents experimental data regarding the performance decline occurring in terms of force and fatigue in the execution of grasping and pinching tasks when wearing an EVA glove, in pressurized and unpressurized conditions, compared with barehanded potential. Results show that wearing the unpressurized EVA glove hinders grip and lateral pinch performances, dropping exerted forces to about 50–70%, while it barely affects two- and three-finger pinch performances. On the other hand, wearing the pressurized glove worsens performances in all cases, reducing forces to about 10–30% of barehanded potential. The results are presented and compared with the previous literature.