MONO
Level
Senior
Duration
16 weeks
Class
Thesis
Inspiration
Inspiration: Sarah Todd Hammer
Due to a spinal injury, Sarah Todd Hammer has one weak arm and one paralyzed arm. She was gifted a pair of nail clippers that were marketed at accessible, but she was ultimately unable to use them. This highlighted a usability gap for individuals with limited upper limp function.
If Sarah Todd struggles to use nail clippers, other people must struggle too.
“With the paralysis on my right hand side I’ve had to have my mom clip all the nails on my left hand. Its always so demoralizing to have her do it (even though I appreciated it!) and its like one more failure to add to my day.”
Quotes collected through 50+ reddit posts*
“I just bite my nails on my affected side is because I can’t use nail clippers.”
“I’m only just learning how to do things like this without just letting them break off (gross, ik)”
“I'm mostly paralyzed on my left side. So I clip that side, then sort of rough bite the other side”
Problem Statement
People with dexterity issues or limb differences often struggle to trim their nails due to the grip and coordination traditional tools require. An accessible alternative is needed for independent nail care.
*Words such as trimming, clipping, and filing will be avoided so as to not predetermine the product outcome.
#1 Rec
*Models printed from Thingiverse
How do readily available 3D printed solutions compare?
Research
Chosen because of their prevalence and overlap with each other, those affected by:
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hemiplegia: paralysis of half the body
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upper limb difference: absence of a limb or missing or underdeveloped bones
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cerebral palsy: stiff muscles in half the body
Due to an overlap in symptoms, additional users may benefit from this product
Target User
Summary of User Needs
How are my users shortening their nails now?
*out of 45 answers collected via Reddit
A platform the hand rests on to position the nail for trimming also triggers the clipper lever.
Pros: Can be used with one hand, nail clipper is easily removable, stores flat
Cons: Positioning is difficult, pressing down also presses the skin and nail together, which does not allow for a close cut.
Ideation
“I always use the ‘big’ nail clippers for more power.”
Despite the difference in lever size, blade size is roughly the same. Would it change the usability if the blade size was bigger?
Testing: Blade Size
Users preferred the 10mm and 12mm blade. The larger blades felt more likely to cause an accident.
Testing: Clipper Location
What is the most intuitive position to clip nails in?
Thumbnail Sketching
How users should be able to use this product:
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With the knee trigger
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Pushing on it while on a flat surface
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Picking it up and activating the trigger by hand
Additional Requirements:
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Clipping collection
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“Exposed” blades for precise cuts
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Attachment point for the knee trigger
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For both left and right handed users
Rough Modeling
Rapidly adding volume to sketches to evaluate viability.
Now that I have this form, how will the knee pedal attach to trigger the mechanism?
Front and Side: Comfortable trigger and shortening position with full visibility
Center/Palm: Akward clipping position with less leverage and visibility
Refinement
Design the knee pedal mechanism into the nail clipper lever itself to avoid the need for an additional part.
All parts necessary for the easiest nail clipping experience in the most compact product.
The Parts
Details
Show LTU CoAD 2025
I was honored to be 1 of 2 industrial design students, and 1 of just 13 students across the College of Architecture and Design, selected to be interviewed about my senior thesis project as part of the marketing campaign for Show LTU CoAD 2025. The interview highlighted my design process and vision, and three of my projects were later featured in the exhbition.
Dean's Award Recipient
Nominated by my professors and hand chosen by Karl Daubman, the Dean of Lawrence Tech's College of Architecture and Design, I was the recipient of Show LTU CoAD 2025 Dean's Award for the academic excellence demonstrated in my design work at Lawrence Technological University.
Other Design Projects
