The Human Factors Research Unit laboratory has a wide range of electrodynamic vibrators of varying displacements up to 50 mm. Smaller vibrators are suitable for hand-arm vibration studies while the larger vibrators are capable of supporting a person while applying a vibration.
All vibrators may be computer-controlled to reproduce arbitrary test motions as specified by the experimenter.
Several vibrators are trunnion-mounted to allow the axis of vibration to be varied, and the larger vibrators can be connected to a slip table to provide a horizontal vibrating platform capable of supporting test subjects or apparatus.
The electrodynamic vibrators are used for a wide variety of purposes including fundamental research into discomfort, measurements of the impedance of the body, measurements of the dynamic performance of seats and seat components, testing of the vibration isolation performance of gloves, and studies of the effects of vibration on the cardiovascular system.
