Hands-Free Door Openers

We’ve had a busy week putting our 3D Printing know-how to use for the team at Rehab Group’s Regent House in Kilkenny. While delivering a supply of our 3D-printed Face Shields last week, and prompted by discussions with healthcare professionals in St. James’ Hospital, we identified another area of concern for the spread of COVID-19 infection: Door Handles.

Some research into the efforts taking place in the world of 3D printing threw up a variety of “Hands Free Door Opener” solutions. Starting with some of the freely shared designs we set about generating a set of bespoke designs for the doors in Regent House. And this week we got around to fitting the attachments on almost 100 door handles throughout the building. Under the watchful supervision of RehabCare staff and residents!

After a brief demo, by a staff member, of the simple technique of using arms instead of hands to open doors, the residents were on their way. And all were very reassured by the difference simple little attachments like these could make in their daily battle to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Similar to the Face Shield printing project, this has been made possible thanks to the support of Public Libraries throughout Ireland in lending their 3D Printers to our Workshop in Thomastown. We now have almost 30 printers in operation here, and have just started assisting libraries in producing supplies from their own base.

This means that we can continue to deliver on this project simply by covering the cost of materials. And of course it’s another example of the myriad 3D Printing ideas that you can bring to life in your local Public Library when all this is behind us!

Special Thank You to: Rehab Group, Libraries Ireland, Kilkenny County Council Library Service, Kildare County Library Service, South Dublin Libraries, dlr Libraries, Fingal Libraries, Dublin City Libraries, Wexford Library, New Ross Library, Waterford City and County Libraries, Limerick Library, Mayo County Library, Kerry Library