Something as easy as putting on lipstick is so often taken for granted. According to cosmetics company L’Oréal, an estimated 50 million people globally live with limited fine motor skills, making day-to-day tasks such as putting on makeup difficult.
That’s why L’Oréal is introducing HAPTA, a handheld, ultra-precise smart makeup applicator designed for those with limited hand and arm mobility. With HAPTA, disabled users can easily and steadily apply lipstick in the comfort of their own homes without the need for help from another.
The technology found in the HAPTA is the same as Verily’s Liftware Level, a smart spoon that stabilizes itself so that people with hand tremors can eat independently without making a mess.
“Inclusivity is at the heart of our innovation and beauty tech strategy,” says Barbara Lavernos, Deputy CEO of Research, Innovation and Technology at L’Oréal. “We are dedicated and passionate to bring new technologies powering beauty services that augment and reach every individual’s ultimate desires, expectations, and unmet needs.”
“For years, Lancôme has sought to provide every woman with beauty solutions adapted to their needs. Beauty tech has enabled us to fulfill this mission in an even more powerful way, revolutionizing the way we develop beauty products and services and enabling greater personalization,” adds Françoise Lehmann, Lancôme Global Brand President. “With HAPTA we are going one step further by making beauty more accessible to use, because everyone should have equal access to it.”
For those interested, HAPTA will be piloted with L’Oréal-owned Lancôme sometime in 2023.
