Linear Glide Arm Trough for Children With Disabilities

Some kids with upper extremity limitations have difficulty using a tablet. This may be because they cannot keep their forearms off the tablet surface or do not have adequate strength to slide their arms on the table surface. We were asked to design and fabricate a simple arm trough that supports the forearm and allow adequate range of motion to use a tablet or other table-mounted device.

The device is designed to cradle the user’s arm while allowing them to move their arm linearly and have a full 360 degrees of rotation. This range of motion will allow the user to operate a tablet with greater ease of use. The device should also be comfortable to the user, simple to use, and easy assemble.