The tendency of snowboarders to fall with outstretched hands has led to a high number of wrist injuries. Commercial wrist guards are restrictive, bulky and transfer impact force from the wrist to the forearm and elbow. Consequently, many snowboarders do not wear wrist guards. The goal of this project was to increase use of wrist guards and decrease wrist fractures by creating a thin, non-restrictive design with superior impact absorption. The final prototype incorporated removable individual cells of a shear-thickening polymer in a protective glove liner. The flexible and slim design increased the comfort of the user. Drop weight impact testing demonstrated impact force absorption in a simulated fall of 61-68% within a temperature range of -4 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Godzinski, Cole O.
• LaBahn, Marc
• Whittaker, Kyle James
• Modelski, Hannah Lee

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042419-144510

Advisor

• Levey, Fiona

Year

• 2019

Date created

• 2019-04-24

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright