One-handed Hair Tie
The client is a lady who has substantially lost the use of her left arm as a result of a stroke. She has fairly long hair and, prior to the stroke, was used to using the sprung type of hairgrip to hold her hair back from her face. Fitting of this type of hairgrip is very much a two-handed operation where one hand is used to hold the bundled hair while the other opens the sprung hairgrip and positions it over the hair bundle.
The challenge was to make a device that would allow this operation using only one hand.
The solution
The device consisted of a U-shaped bracket with a screw clamp which could be attached at the appropriate height to a door, stair post or similar upright. It could be positioned and locked in place with one hand using the thumb and forefinger to do up the screw clamp while supporting the device with the other fingers.
The hairgrip, in its open state, could then be pushed into a slot on the front of the device leaving the open jaws facing outwards. The client then bundles her hair with one hand and reverses the bundle into the open jaws. She then just has to grasp the hairgrip and the hair bundle and walk away, so pulling the hairgrip from the slot and closing the jaws.
Initial attempts showed that the device would be successful although some practise was required in judging the correct height and gauging the position of the hair bundle.
This is a development of a previous design.
The benefit
The client can now tie up her own hair unaided
- Skills involved:
- Issues Addressed:
- Activities Helped:
- Location:
- Solution:
Hi could I please have the print files for this device.
Many thanks
No problem, I will email you.
Could I get access to the print file for this?
Thank you for contacting Remap. If you would like one to be made for you and live in the UK, you can make a request here: https://www.remap.org.uk/referral-form/ . But bear in mind that suitable commercial ones may be available to suit your own circumstances and Remap does not make what is commercially available: https://www.remap.org.uk/can-we-help-you/, so please check first.
If you live outside the UK, it is unlikely we can help directly. But if you can find an organisation local to you (for example a technical school, hobbyist engineer, Tetra (https://tetrasociety.org/) (in North America only), TAD (https://tad.org.au/) (in Australia only), men’s shed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men's_shed), Hackspace (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackerspace) or similar) who can make it for you, then we would be happy to assist them.
How or where do you get this device?