DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERNAL TORQUE-REACTION JAR-OPENING DEVICE TO ASSIST OLDER PERSONS

THE OBJECTIVE OF PHASE I IS TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY FOR A SIMPLE JAR-OPENING DEVICE THAT ALLOWS THE ELDERLY OR HANDICAPPED TO OPEN THREADED OR TWIST-OFF JAR LIDS EASILY AND SAFELY. THE DEVICE WILL CONSIST OF A COMPACT, ELECTRICALLY POWERED APPLIANCE THAT WILL GRASP BOTH JAR AND LID AND UNSCREW THE LID WITHOUT NECESSITY FOR FULL MOTOR CAPABILITY OF THE USER. THOUGH VARIOUS JAR-OPENING AIDS EXIST, A MARKET ANALYSIS SHOWS NONE POSSESSES THE FEATURE OF "HANDS-OFF," INTERNAL TORQUE-REACTION CAPABILITY, AND ALL REQUIRE LID BREAK-LOOSE TORQUE TO BE REACTED BY MANUAL GRASP OF EITHER JAR OR LID. THE TECHNOLOGY MUST BE CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING ALL SIZES AND SHAPES OF JARS AND LIDS. THIS RESEARCH ADDRESSES THE FEASIBILITY OF A DEVICE THAT WOULD ASSIST ARTHRITIC, HANDICAPPED, OR MOTOR-IMPAIRED ELDERLY PEOPLE REGAIN THE ABILITY TO INDEPENDENTLY PERFORM THE FORMERLY SIMPLE TASK OF REMOVING STUBBORN JAR LIDS.