RESEARCH - Designing easy-to-use products with the help of arthritis simulation gloves

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Designing Easy-To-Use Products With The Help Of Arthritis Simulation Gloves

MedicalNewsToday.com

Article Date: 05 Feb 2010 - 0:00 PST

As the U.S. population ages, manufacturers of consumer goods are

realizing that many customers may not be as nimble-fingered or

sharp-sighted as they once were. To help product designers and

engineers address those changing requirements, researchers at the

Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have been developing evaluation

methods and design techniques to identify and address the needs of all

consumers, including those with functional limitations.

GTRI's latest product is a pair of arthritis simulation gloves, which

reproduce the reduction in functional capacity experienced by persons

with arthritis. The gloves help those responsible for consumer

products better understand how arthritis affects a person's ability to

grasp, pinch, turn, lift and twist objects.

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http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/178221.php

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