Chris Peacock may not have reinvented the wheel, but he’s definitely reinvented the cup. The British inventor has created handSteady, an ergonomic cup to help people with health conditions (such as tremor, joint pain and Parkinson’s disease) to have their drinks without undergoing a nerve-wracking, socially-awkward challenge.
handSteady, which looks like a standard china cup, was designed to help those people with balance, tilt and motion when it comes to having a drink. The main component of the device is its rotatable handle, which makes it possible to keep the cup in an upright position until the user is ready to drink.
They can use the cup at any angle without having the twist their wrist to bring it to the mouth. The rotating handle makes it easy to tilt the cup without having to lift the elbow up or lean the head back. Alternatively, the user can lock it with a thumb to push it and keep their wrist and arm stationary. They can also grasp the cup with the other hand and simply tilt it. Finally, the cup remains steady when the user has to take it from one place to another, mitigating the risk of spillage by absorbing the shaking from the tremor.
The cup can hold 250 ml (8 oz) and the handle is large enough for four fingers. The power grip hold ensure firmness and the guard prevents the fingers from getting burned on the side of the cup.
Peacock had the idea for handSteady when a member of his family was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. At the time, he foresaw how drinking with a cup would one day become a burdensome task for his relative. As an inventor whose credentials include a stint at IBM, he realized he had the skills to create a solution.
It was while doing his MA in Design Engineering at the Royal College of Art that Peacock started to develop the handSteady project, which is backed by the Guy's and St Thomas’ Charity. He counted on the help of 35 health professionals and 72 people with various health conditions around the UK to design the device.
handSteady is manufactured in West Sussex by a precision manufacturing company to ISO 9001 standards, and sold via the handSteady website for £39.99 (about US$64) The price includes accessories, free worldwide delivery and a 12-month warranty.
The video below features Chris Peacock talking about his invention.
Source: handSteady