This Printed Attachment Lets Shoppers Push with Forearms
Laura McQuarrie — March 26, 2020 — Lifestyle
References: materialise
To support safer shopping experiences, Materialise created 3D-printed shopping cart handles that help people go hands-free to prevent commonly touched surfaces from becoming contaminated and spreading potentially harmful contaminants. Since it's cause for concern that some viruses can live on surfaces for hours or even days at a time, Materialise developed an attachment that helps people push shopping carts with their forearms. The attachment is like an armrest that saves people from having to physically grip the cart in order to steer.
After developing a prototype and printing the design, Materialise introduced the hands-free shopping cart attachment to Proxy Delhaize supermarket, which implemented it immediately as a safer alternative to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
After developing a prototype and printing the design, Materialise introduced the hands-free shopping cart attachment to Proxy Delhaize supermarket, which implemented it immediately as a safer alternative to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
Trend Themes
1. Contactless Shopping - The use of hands-free attachments for shopping carts presents an opportunity for businesses to innovate and offer more contactless options for customers.
2. 3D Printing - The development of 3D-printed attachments offers a disruptive innovation opportunity for businesses to create custom solutions for their customers with minimal waste and fast turnaround times.
3. Hygiene and Safety - The emphasis on hygiene and safety in shopping experiences creates an opportunity for businesses to develop new solutions that prioritize customer health and wellness.
Industry Implications
1. Retail - The retail industry can benefit from implementing contactless shopping solutions such as hands-free attachments to shopping carts to improve customer convenience and safety.
2. 3D Printing - 3D printing can disrupt industries by enabling the creation of custom solutions like the hands-free shopping cart attachment, reducing waste, and promoting innovation.
3. Hospitals and Healthcare - The hygiene and safety benefits of hands-free attachments can be utilized in hospital and healthcare settings where the risk of contamination is high, presenting an innovation opportunity for healthcare providers.
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