Play By Ear: Adaptive Earring Clip

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Play By Ear won the 2013 ACE Undergraduate Student Award at the Association of Canadian Ergonomists' 44th annual conference: "From Sea to Sky: Expanding the Reach of Ergonomics" in Whistler, BC.

Our sense of self is often shaped by how we think others see us. Thus, the way we express ourselves through clothing and accessories plays an important role in the development of our identity. This serves true for both individuals with a disability and those without. Frequently, however, individuals with a disability are denied this freedom by the lack of products in the market that take their physical capabilities into consideration.

For individuals with arthritis or limited hand dexterity, the ability to put on earrings easily or independently is a common, daily act of self-expression often denied to them by their disability. The task poses several ergonomic challenges, as it requires the user to hold their body in an awkward and potentially painful position while threading a small earring through their earlobe.