I designed and made tongs.

This device is a compliant mechanism that utilizes the material properties of TPU to function. It bends under force and springs back when that force is let off, like standard tongs. The low durometer of the TPU allows it to be elastically deformed, and the thin sections act as little springs that go back to their original position. This was much cheaper than buying real tongs, and it takes up less space because the utensils can be removed and washed. This is nice because if a roommate used the tongs, I could just swap out the utensils and still have the same function without having to clean them.