Materialise makes 'anti-corona' door handle
The Leuven-based 3D printing specialist Materialise has designed a 3D printed door opener that makes it possible to open and close doors with the forearm. This eliminates the need for direct contact with the door handle. The company provides the design free of charge.
The 3D printed door opener can be attached to existing door handles and is equipped with a paddle-shaped extension that allows doors to be opened and closed with the forearm instead of with hands. For safety reasons not all doors can remain open and due to the need to touch the door handles, the 3D printed door opener can help to limit the spread of the virus.
The hands-free door opener can be mounted on a door handle without drilling holes or replacing the existing door handle. The first model can be attached to cylindrical handles, but Materialise plans to introduce additional designs using various 3D printing technologies.
Materialise will make the design available free of charge on its website. People who do not have access to a 3D printer or a local 3D printing plant can also order the door opener via the portal I.materialise. A set of two hands-free door openers, including screws, is available for forty euros.
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