4-6-2014
After a tremendous positive response here in Amsterdam at the Makerfaire 2014 (may 30, 31 & June 1) I decided to make the pen more parameter controlled. And I will commercialize it. People can download a diagram where they can fill in some measurements of the pointing finger. I will then 3D print it on my printer and if the customer would want it, I will send them the STL file so they can print the pen themselves in the future. As soon as this is available I will update the site.
My mother, 83 years old, has Rheuma and cannot bend her finger easily anymore. This would disable her to write with a pen. I saw a fingerpen on the internet which, with the shipping costs and small refils, would become quite expensive. Time to do a little practical project. I measured hte dimensions of het pointing finger and designed a fingerpen to be printed on my 3D printer and capable of using a simple BIC pen. And before a BIC pen is empty you are a couple of years ahead.
By putting het pointing finger through the hole and supporting with the thumb and middle finger she can now write again quite nicely actually. Costs of this project (excluding time[is family :)]) I recon about us$ 1.00 (needed a few before I got nicely fitting). Pen was printed in white PLA.
6-3-2014
Needed another one so I added some real thing pictures.
This was exactly the reason I designed my version. The Ring Pen looks fabulous and has a very nice design. But is quite pricy relatively speaking. 5 very tiny fillings for 2.50 euro and shipping costs. I can buy 50 BIC pens for 5 euro’s and if you are dependent on Social Welfare, every euro counts. And now she is capable to make her own shopping lists (that is about all she does with a pen). She is happy about it.