In-Line Power Screwdrivers Recoil: A Pilot Computational Methodology to Assess Differences Among Workstations from a Human-Centric Perspective

Background/Objectives: Mechanical shocks generated by the recoil of hand-held power screwdrivers are a significant biomechanical stressor for the operator’s hand–arm complex. Currently, vibration exposure is measured at the tool-handle level, while operator-centered practical measures remain limited. This study proposes a computational methodology to quantify relative reductions in mechanical shock and biomechanical load across different workstations. Using wearable inertial measurement units, ratios of transmitted torque and worst-case wrist joint power were calculated directly at the operator’s upper limb, without direct force measurement.