Extended artificial hand with rotating wrist, England, United Kingdom, 1960-1975

A one metre long extended hand, with rotating wrist for picking up small items, by Prof. Meredith Wooldridge Thring, 1960-1975.

The rotating wrist on this extending hand lengthens to one metre. It was invented by Professor Meredith Thring (1915-2006). The extended hand is controlled by inserting the wrist into the adjustable metal frame, which is held in place by clips. The user grasps the handles at the top to close the pincers at the end of the arm. This allows small objects to be picked up with ease. It was useful for individuals with restricted movement. Professor Thring was Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Queen Mary College, London University, during the 1960s. He set up a Design and Invention workshop and was one of the first people to work on domestic robots. As a keen inventor he created several artificial aids including a jointed metal leg frame (1997-800).