Palmello - Adaptive Scissors

Palmello is an adaptive scissors operated by palm pressure, designed for individuals with arthritis and reduced fine motor skills. Traditional scissor designs require repetitive finger movements, a bent wrist, and curling of the fingers while gripping the handle or loop, which can potentially cause musculoskeletal issues. These challenges often hinder individuals with hand-related issues from using scissors for everyday tasks. Recognising this, Palmello introduces a new interaction method and ergonomic design aimed at enhancing usability for all users. Palmello operates like a hand gripper, requiring a simple squeezing action to actuate the blades. The inclusion of flexure hinges provides a spring action, ensuring that the blades open automatically when the handle is released. The handle mechanism is ambidextrous and helps maintain a neutral wrist position during cutting. Safety is ensured with a blade-locking mechanism that features a sliding button to lock the blades when not in use. Palmello seamlessly combines distinctive aesthetics with functionality, embodying the principles of human-centred design. Red Dot Award: Design Concept | Red Dot: Next Gen Award | Concept | Ageing and Geriatrics