Living Aids for limited hand function--Gripability & Etac Handle Turner

For those with limited hand function, life is filled with small but irritating inconveniences. Examples of this include dropping items easily, inability to pick items up, and also struggling with turning handles or knobs. However some new living aids can help boost independence for people with disabilities and today we’re going to look at a few.

Gripability and Etac Universal Multifunctional Knob & Handle Turner Grip are great examples of the new designs that could potentially aid and improve quality of life for people. Those who are paralysed, amputees or muscle sickness could all arguably benefit from these new technologies.

Patrick Oeffner, the designer of Gripability became quadriplegic as a result of an accident in 1988. In late 2005, in order indulge his passion for art, he realised he needed a device that would help him grip pencils and other tools independently. After some research he found that at the time there was no automatic gripping and grasping device for people at all, so he decided to develop a new device by and for himself. And so Gripability was born.

Gripability is an innovative handling system, a daily living aid for people with limited dexterity in their hands, fingers and wrists. With the Gripability, a wide range of utensils such as cutlery, drinking vessels, brushes and tooth brushes, pens and pencils, can be grasped and handled easily. In other words, people can independently accomplish various things like doing their own makeup, grabbing their forks, and holding their beers (just a few of life’s essentials).

Etac Universal Multifunctional Knob & Handle Turner Grip is another new product that aids people with limited hand function. It enables people to open and turn small knobs, handles, and switches easily. The product has an ergonomically designed comfortable handle that facilitates pressure towards the knob before turning it. This enables users to turn taps, knobs and keys with minimal effort. The universal turner is made from ABS plastic, and the rods are hexagonal which enables excellent grip on most switches with contours. Furthermore, the product is angled to ensure that either hand can be used to carry out the turning action with minimal discomfort.

Have you ever tried using Gripabiltiy or the ETAC universal turner? How did it work for you? For more information about Gripability, please check the link below:

Living Aids for limited hand function--Gripability & Etac Handle Turner

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