Hi

Hi, I'm Chris. I have a disability that limits my hand function, but that's all I'm saying about it here. What I want to write about here is related to it - the adaptive device I designed and built.

Back in early 2006, I realized I needed a writing tool of some sort that I could use to finish my undergrad work. I spent months searching - I contacted medical device companies, brace/support manufacturers, ergonomic suppliers, prosthetic companies... What I found was that as far as writing tools, there was really not much. Sure, some companies had "ergonomic writing tools" - but those just gave different sizes and shapes of things to grip. What I needed was a writing tool that required no hand usage at all.

So I gave up on finding something already made. I thought a while about what might work, and what I could maybe create, what tools I knew I could use, and went to Home Depot.

Versions 1 through 4 of my writing tool failed. I changed the materials I was using, found a workaround for the epoxy problem, and then made version 5. I've been using it for the last 3 years, for writing and crochet. I call it my Device.

Recently, I've become aware that there are other people who need a writing tool like mine. So I've decided to release the design and assembly instructions under the TAPR Noncommercial Hardware License. A friend and I assembed a few of these last weekend, so we could take pictures to fully document how to make one. The materials used, instructions, and pictures of assembly will be in my next post.