For disabled people with muscular conditions or those who have only one hand, getting the last of the food out of a bowl can be a huge challenge. Designer Ryan Kirkpatrick addresses that problem with the Ceramic Scoop Bowl, a unique bowl with one flat edge that allows it to stand up and facilitate easier eating.

The bottom of the bowl features a rubber base that keeps it from slipping around on the table as users scoop their food out. The slightly sloped shape of the bowl helps the food naturally shift toward the flat edge, preventing liquidy foods like soup from becoming too shallow to scoop out.

When the user gets close to the end of a bowl of food, the bowl can then be tipped up to sit on its flat edge. The edge acts as a little plate, holding the food so that it is easily scooped up. The wide rim of the accessible bowl makes it easy for those with muscular conditions to handle and carry it.

Kirkpatrick calls himself “an industrial designer with an interest in inclusive design and repositioning products that people need, into objects that they desire.” His other designs include the Tacdial, a tactile analog wristwatch developed for the visually impaired so users can easily feel the current time.

The world could certainly use a whole lot more designers who create objects and spaces with people of all abilities in mind. This kind of “universal design” avoids excluding people with varying abilities or ghettoizing items designed specifically for their needs. It’s good to keep in mind that any able-bodied person could become disabled in an instant, requiring a drastic change in their surroundings and belongings, and that we all experience a decline in abilities as we age.

More from the designer

“The ceramic scoop bowl accommodates individuals with muscular conditions and is an ideal eating aid for one-handed users. The vertical wall and sloping bottom helps users easily guide food onto their utensils, whilst also allowing the plate to rest at the edge of the table helping to eliminate spillage.”