STORY PREVIEW

1. Left-handers cannot write easily on a right-hander writing tablet, which is commonly used in lecture halls. 2. Left-handers cannot copy things from the previous page of a book or document easily because the left hand would have blocked the contents of that page. 3. Breathing in secondhand cigarette smoke is harmful to health. 4. Not enough hands to hold food and drinks

Left-handers cannot write easily on a right-hander writing tablet, which is commonly used in lecture halls. Left-handers are one of the world’s largest minorities, making up about ten percent of the general population. While most people know a left-hander or two in their lives, many overlook the struggles that left-handers face living in a right-hand dominated world on a daily basis. There are many left handed people in the world but a normal lecture hall has only about 3 left handed tables. Left-handers cannot rest their hand on right-handed tables when writing, which is a common problem in lecture halls. This puts a left-hander at a disadvantage during lectures or when taking a test as it inconveniences their writing.

All left-handers in the world are affected by the problem. The majority of the people in the world are right-handed so most items are built for them. Although the world is beginning to adapt more to left-handers compared to the past, most things are still made for right-handed people which causes an inconvenience to left- handed people. For example, the writing tablets that are attached to the seats in places like lecture halls in schools and tertiary institutions are right-handed tablets, in order to accommodate more people. While this is convenient and easy to install for use by right-handers, it is difficult for left-handers to write on these tablets, as they are unable to rest their arm on the table. The inefficient and awkward writing position that some left-handers need to adopt in this kind of desk can result in a slower speed of writing, placing many left-handed students at a real disadvantage during timed examinations. Thus, for time-based tests, left-handers should not sit at right-hander biased desks, but at a full desk or table. Although there are existing left-handed tablets, they are not commonly found in most lecture halls. Even if the lecture halls are equipped with left-handed tables, they are usually not enough to accommodate all the left-handers as the surface areas tend to be rather small. The same problem extends into a left-hander's working life as auditoriums and training rooms are mostly equipped with right-handed tablets; and left-handers continue to face the same issues.

1. Create an attachment that extends the normal tables 2. Increase the number of left handed tables in the lecture halls 3. Make table extensions attachable and detachable so that they can be moved from the right-side to the left-side.

Create an attachment that extends the normal tables. It gives left-handers a flat surface to rest their hands on and allows left-handers to write comfortably on the tablet. It is a pocket-friendly option that is easy to use and effective.

We tried to make a surface that can be attached to the tablets. Our first prototype used a commercial clamp that was attached to a piece of cardboard supported by a grid made out of chopsticks. The clamp attaches our prototype to the table, allowing the attachment to be swiveled around for the user to get up easily. Our second prototype used a PVC foam board. We replaced the clamping mechanism with cardboard pieces that would extend outwards to hold the prototype in place, allowing it to be attached to the table. We used toothpicks to secure the clamps to the table but found that it was not secure. Our third and final prototype is a modification of the clamping mechanism from the second prototype while keeping the foam board. Each clamping mechanism consists of a upper jaw that is made of laminated wood and an adjustable lower jaw made of PVC foam board supported by a stem made of laminated wood stem and was fixed to the prototype with screws. This allows the prototype to be fitted to tables of different thicknesses. There is also a triangular piece of PVC foam board supporting each of the lower jaw to prevent the lower jaw from listing downwards, allowing the entire surface of the lower jaw to be in contact with the table. Non-slip foam sheets were attached to the surfaces of the jaws to increase friction between the jaws and the table, preventing the prototype from slipping off the table. We also use metal clips to hold each lower jaw in place after the user has adjusted the lower jaws to the thickness of the table. This maintains the pressure exerted by the jaws on the table in order to secure the prototype to the table.

In the end, we created a prototype of a tablet that can be clamped to the lecture hall tables meant for right-handers. It is made of inexpensive materials such as PVC foam board and laminated wood. It is able to effectively clamp to tables of different thicknesses and provides a flat surface for left-handers to write on.

10

E: “I no longer have to turn my body sideways when I want to write.” C: “I have more support for my arm and I have even more space to write.”

For the first prototype, we used cardboard, styrofoam, chopsticks, and a clamp. We made a grid frame from chopsticks which helped to ensure that the prototype is sturdy and firm. We relied on the clamping mechanism to attach the prototype to the table. However, the clamp was costly and bulky. In addition, there were other challenges such as: a) the extension overlapped with the table, making it hard for the user to write on; and b) there was a sharp corner present at the top of the clamp, making it a safety hazard. We decided to try to find a more suitable material that is economical, light, sturdy, and easy to work with. We looked for alternatives to the clamping mechanism, and try to make the extension fit seamlessly. For the second prototype, we used a PVC Foamboard because it was sturdy, light, and inexpensive. We also replaced the clamping mechanism with cardboard pieces that would extend outwards to hold the prototype in place. Unfortunately, it was a lot less versatile due to the removal of the clamping mechanism. It could not be attached to tables of different thicknesses which did not achieve the objective and purpose of this project. We decided to study the clamping mechanism and try to replicate it with other materials. We also wanted to increase the friction between the attachment and the table so that it could be attached more firmly to the table. For our third and final prototype, we made something that works similarly to the clamping mechanism. However, we realised that it was too heavy and cannot be aligned properly. Subsequently, we added a triangular piece of PVC board to the lower jaw to support it. We also added metallic clips at the bottom to ensure that the lower jaws stayed in place.

MORE THAN 30 DAYS

Quality Education

Our project supports the Global Goal on Quality Education. We strongly believe that left-handers should not be disadvantaged in this largely right-handed world, especially for students whose school infrastructure and furniture are not built or are not flexible enough to adapt and cater to their needs. For too long, left-handers have either suffered in silence or were forced to adapt to their right-handed environment. Provision should be made for this silent minority so that the quality of their education experience can be improved. In addition, our project supports the Global Goal on Reduced Inequality by contributing to a more equal world where left-handers are less structurally disadvantaged in this right-handed world.

We went to our left-handed classmates and let them test our prototype on our school lecture hall tables. They agreed that the prototype was useful because it allows them to write fast and comfortably on lecture tables meant for right-handers.

10-20

We plan to continue refining our prototype by experimenting with other materials, as well as sharing it with more left-handers to gather their feedback for improvement. In addition, we aim to bring our prototype to our school administration to explore if it can be implemented at scale across the school for a trial period. We hope to be able to showcase the prototype to even more schools in Singapore so that more left-handed students in Singapore can have access to the prototype. The prototype we have built is inexpensive and easy to make. It is therefore easy to replicate, produce and implement at scale, not just in Singapore but globally. If the prototype is well-accepted among left-handed students, we believe that it can eventually be adopted as a standard offering for all auditoriums, lecture halls, etc. Thus, we believe that our project will solve this problem.