Development of an Instrumented Glove for Palmar Pressure Assessment in Kayakers

Depontailler, Corentin; Jodin, Gurvan; Porcon, Corentin; Alglave, Clémence; Marin, Antoine; Razan, Florence

doi:10.3390/s26123966

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Development of an Instrumented Glove for Palmar Pressure Assessment in Kayakers

by

Corentin Depontailler

^1,2,*

,

Gurvan Jodin

^1,2

,

Corentin Porcon

^1,2,

Clémence Alglave

^1,2

,

Antoine Marin

³

and

Florence Razan

^1,2

¹

Department of Mechatronics, École Normale Supérieure de Rennes, 35170 Bruz, France

²

Université de Rennes, ENS Rennes, CNRS, IETR—UMR 6164, 35170 Bruz, France

³

Movement, Sports and Health (M2S) Laboratory, EA 7470, Université Rennes 2, ENS Rennes, 35170 Bruz, France

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Sensors 2026, 26(12), 3966; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26123966 (registering DOI)

Submission received: 6 May 2026 / Revised: 15 June 2026 / Accepted: 18 June 2026 / Published: 22 June 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flexible Pressure/Force Sensors and Their Applications)

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Abstract

Understanding hand–paddle interaction is essential for optimizing performance and preventing injury in kayaking, yet coaches still lack objective, practical tools. We present a soft, instrumented glove that measures and dynamically maps palmar pressure throughout the stroke cycle. A matrix of piezoresistive sensors is integrated into the glove and connected to dedicated electronics housed in a waterproof enclosure. A viscoelastic model converts sensor resistance into forces, enabling time-resolved 3D mapping of contact mechanics. Data are transmitted via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Experimental validation on a kayak ergometer across multiple cadences demonstrated accurate measurements (per-sensor root mean square error (RMSE) of ±2 N), clear delineation of pull and push phases, evolving pressure distribution over the motion, and a peak total right-hand force of 186 N at high cadence. Beyond feasibility, these results position the glove as a practical training aid: it supports athlete-specific load monitoring and the early detection of potentially problematic movement patterns.

Keywords: flexible sensors; low energy; smart garment; wearable sensors; hand pressure; palm mapping; kayak paddle; sport monitoring

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MDPI and ACS Style

Depontailler, C.; Jodin, G.; Porcon, C.; Alglave, C.; Marin, A.; Razan, F. Development of an Instrumented Glove for Palmar Pressure Assessment in Kayakers. Sensors 2026, 26, 3966. https://doi.org/10.3390/s26123966

AMA Style

Depontailler C, Jodin G, Porcon C, Alglave C, Marin A, Razan F. Development of an Instrumented Glove for Palmar Pressure Assessment in Kayakers. Sensors. 2026; 26(12):3966. https://doi.org/10.3390/s26123966

Chicago/Turabian Style

Depontailler, Corentin, Gurvan Jodin, Corentin Porcon, Clémence Alglave, Antoine Marin, and Florence Razan. 2026. "Development of an Instrumented Glove for Palmar Pressure Assessment in Kayakers" Sensors 26, no. 12: 3966. https://doi.org/10.3390/s26123966

APA Style

Depontailler, C., Jodin, G., Porcon, C., Alglave, C., Marin, A., & Razan, F. (2026). Development of an Instrumented Glove for Palmar Pressure Assessment in Kayakers. Sensors, 26(12), 3966. https://doi.org/10.3390/s26123966

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Development of an Instrumented Glove for Palmar Pressure Assessment in Kayakers

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