Awards honour designs that could transform lives of arthritis sufferers

DESIGNS for a rotating door handle, an easy-to-grip carton and a bizarre kettle-mug hybrid have been lauded for their potential to improve the lives of the country’s 40,000 rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.

The products were among a list of new inventions detailed at Arthritis Ireland’s first annual Easy To Use design awards yesterday.

Open to third-year industrial design students at the National College of Art and Design, the competition encouraged the creation of equipment to help those with the debilitating condition to perform their daily tasks.