The Claw

thingiverse

This is an optimized design for minimal production time and post-production work, tailored specifically for opening doors, touching screens, or pushing buttons. Every day, I interact with touchscreens, handles, and buttons, whether it's an ATM, door, checkout screen, or elevator button - a common experience that likely applies to everyone else as well. The biggest challenge I've been trying to overcome is the screen-touching feature. Many screens are resistive or pressure-sensitive, but numerous others are capacitive and require conduction to function properly. After experimenting with various designs and materials available at home, I've developed a simple and cost-effective solution. The part is crafted from PLA and features a thin layer of metallic vinyl applied to the outer edge, close to the user's finger. The vinyl must be slightly sanded to remove the outermost protective layer for correct conduction. Additionally, the Gerber metallic vinyl requires a slight amount of heat to conform to contoured surfaces. Aluminum foil tape can also be used, but it poses a higher risk of scratching screens. My design replicates a user's finger with a rounded tip and can be enhanced by adding a layer of foam tape to distribute the conductive surface more evenly. I've also included a ring for attaching a retractable string; however, most people may not have access to this feature.