used reach extenders to demonstrate that the human brain maps tools as parts of the body.
Ī 2009 neuroplasticity study by Cardinali et al. Reach extenders are also used to provide accessibility to people with disabilities or who are aging. People may construct specially adapted forms for this purpose.
Reach extenders are used by litter collection services to aid in picking up litter off the ground without having to bend over. Variations on the basic form of a reach extender depend on what task needs to be accomplished, and significant variation is found in the length of the pole and the maximum weight the reach extender can bear. Others have jaws equipped with suction cups for holding round objects more easily, and still others have small magnets for collecting lightweight metallic items. Some reach extenders may possess a secondary trigger which locks the jaws in position around whatever object they are holding, so the user does not need to maintain a tight grip on the handle. The jaws are open by default and become open when the trigger is released. The handle is equipped with a trigger that, when pulled, closes the jaws via a lever-and-spring system within the pole.
It is chiefly used to pick items up off the ground, and it is commonly sold in hardware stores.Ī reach extender takes the form of a long metal or plastic pole, usually not exceeding 3 feet (0.91 m) in length, with a handle at one end and a pair of jaws at the other end. It has applications in waste management, assistive technology, gardening and outdoor work, and in some cases as a children's toy. Harrison Schmitt with reach extender at Apollo 17Ī reach extender ( reacher, grabber arm, helping hand, trash picker, picker-upper, extended gripper, long arm gripper, extended reach grabber, grabber tool, caliper etc.) is a handheld mechanical tool used to increase the range of a person's reach when grabbing objects. There is built-in support within the model that will need to be removed after printing.