3rd Arm
It was Plato that said, "necessity is the mother of invention", and right now it is so alarmingly clear that we need to flatten the curve of the Covid-19 pandemic. The goal of the 3rd Arm project is to reduce germ spread through the surface-to-human contact required in everyday life. While we can all operate within the guidelines of proper hygiene and social distancing, there are situations that inherently require contact with surfaces. Ultimately, this campaign will produce a tool that:
- can push, pull, click, grab, and twist items such as doors, payment portals, ATMs, and other public utility
- can be used by left or right-handed people alike
- is intuitive and useful for people with all levels of strength and dexterity
- is 100% made in America
With your help, we can produce a device that will reduce the spread of disease and become a commonplace safety item that compliments the use of sanitizer gels and wipes.
The team:
- Nicko Trataris
- Serial entrepreneur and inventor with a mechanical engineering degree and background. Led many hardware and software projects from mainframes to Smart Phones. Currently focus on software development for the Medical Industry.
- Kaitlin Trataris
- Kat Trataris is an artist and entrepreneur based in Oakland California. She works as a partnership and business developer for small nonprofits. Currently works as the Director of Programs and Partnerships in the arts.
- Travis Lander
- Development professional and founder of The Lander Group, a digital technology consulting firm. Worked in several roles to plan, develop, and execute projects for both large and small enterprises in publishing, automotive, government, and lifestyle industries. Currently leads Customer Success for SoftLedger, a cloud-native general ledger system.
What We Need & What You Get
While we have already contributed our own capital for initial R&D, prototype production, and user application testing, we need the capital necessary for greater production and awareness. The more 3rd Arms in circulation, the more effective we can be in combating the spread of infectious disease. Funding stages:
- Initial goal to produce the first fleet of 1,000 units: $19,000
- Growth phase or 1,001 - 5,750 units : $19,001 - $218,250
- Ongoing production of 5,750+: $218,250+
We feel that we all bear responsibility in suppressing the spread of disease, particularly novel disease in which we don't have established treatments yet. As such, we make a pledge ourselves to contribute 10% after our ongoing production stage is reached as donations to those that would benefit most from the 3rd Arm,
The Impact
As a species, we have always leveraged tools to advance our capabilities. Today, the biggest impact we can all make is to reduce the amount of contact we have with each other, whether direct or indirect. By incorporating the 3rd Arm into daily routine, we can reduce community spread of novel viruses, such as Covid-19, to keep our most vulnerable safe and our healthcare system intact.
Your contribution will launch the first wave of the 3rd Arm that will keep you shielded from inevitable everyday contact, as well as your community through contact suppression and added awareness to these silent dangers.
Some common use cases:
- Grocery shopping
- Physical and digital signature with point-of-sale portals
- Gas station or charging stations
- Entry and egress from buildings
- Public facilities and amenities
- Bathrooms
- Parking garage
- Crosswalk signals
- Toll booth
Risks & Challenges
The biggest challenge will be to produce enough supply to match demand. Like social distancing, the 3rd Arm is more impactful the more widely adopted it is. Less contact with surfaces means less contact with germs, which leads to less disease.
We have already found there is immense demand for this product, so our biggest risk is inadequate funding for the execution of the timeline to meet this demand. People need this protection now. We are fast tracking this launch to meet the demand that has been brought upon by the Covid-19 pandemic, but the 3rd Arm will be essential to guard against germs of all kinds for years to come.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you are not in a financial position to pledge financially, we completely understand. The next best pledge is to spread awareness about our campaign, so that our message can reach as many people as possible. Use the share tools provided by Indiegogo or tell friends, family, and communities about the 3rd Arm so we can all be contributors in our fight against disease.
OR if you cannot make the full pledge, contribute whatever amount you can towards the 10% donation pool for those most exposed: elderly, immunocompromised, and healthcare workers.
How it begun
On February 10th, 2020 I was going to see a client in San Diego. I was not usually concerned about touching things but I had been following the Corona Virus story and I was concerned. When going up in the elevator I noticed a person using their elbow to press the floor button. Then on the visit to the bathroom I washed my hands, grabbed a paper towel, which I kept to open the door before dropping it in the trash. As I approached the door to my clients office I though, 'wait I don't have the paper towel anymore. How stupid is that, I went to the trouble of using the paper on the door handle of the bathroom and a minute later I was faced the problem at another door. Being a mechanical engineer I sat in the parking lot of a grocery store waiting for my wife and I sketched out my idea. How can we open a large variety of commercial doors without touching anything and keeping the contact as far away as possible. It had to be small, but large enough and strong enough to open large door handles. Then it has to shield us when doing other thinks that require pushing, pulling, twisting and grabbing. That is how it started.
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I also wanted something that was more than a small key chain accessory, what is the point of touching everything with a tool and then touching that device with accumulated germs and viruses. We will strive to improve the 3rd Arm Shield as this level of protection will end, this is the beginning of a new way of life.
