Paul Horton suffered a quadriplegic spinal injury that limits mobility in his hands. This means that he cannot perform some actions such as clenching his fist tightly and also has very little strength in his thumb. Additionally, he cannot use tools such as pliers or scissors. Also, actions that requires gripping strength like, for example, using a steak knife or changing an adjustable screwdriver head are close to impossible. With this problem in mind, the team set a goal to create a set of pliers that is easy to use, lightweight, and mobile for his daily use.
From the criteria set above, the team made the decision to create an automated set of pliers powered by AA batteries. Combining a motor and a lead screw, a nut moves up and down along the lead screw driving forward a bracket that connects to two linkages which open and close a pair of plier heads.
