"Hand spinner" redirects here. For spinning yarn by hand, see .
A typical three-lobed fidget spinner
|
Type |
Stress-relieving toy |
Availability |
1993–present |
Materials |
, , , , , , , etc. |
A fidget spinner is a that consists of a in the center of a multi-lobed (typically three-lobed) flat structure made from metal or plastic with metal weights in the lobes, designed to spin around its central axis. Fidget spinners became very prevalent trending toys in 2017.
The toy has been promoted as helping people who have trouble focusing or those who may need to to relieve nervous energy, , or . There are claims that a fidget spinner can help calm down people who have nerodevelopmental or mental disorders, such as and , though peer reviewed studies for this notion are lacking.
A fidget spinner consists of a round, flat central bearing (usually a ball bearing) that allows the arms connected to it to rotate; around this central axis, there are usually three weighted arms, but their number varies depending on the model. When spun forcefully, they can continue spinning for up to several minutes, depending on the model.
Development
In an interview appearing on May 4, 2017, on , Scott McCoskery described how he created a metal spinning device called a "Torqbar" around 2014 to satisfy with his own tendency to fidget in meetings and on conference calls while working in the field in the , area of the . He said he believed it was the first fidget spinner as they became known in their popular form. In response to requests from an online community, he began selling the device online.
Popularity and usage
With the rapid increase in the popularity of fidget spinners in 2017, many children and teenagers began using them in school, and some schools also reported that students were trading and selling the spinner toys.
As a result of their frequent use by children at school, many school districts prohibited the toy. Some teachers argued that the spinners distracted students from their schoolwork. According to a survey conducted by Alexi Roy and published in May 2017, 32% of the largest 200 American public and private high schools had banned spinners on campus.
When fidget spinners rose in popularity in 2017, many publications in the popular press discussed the marketing claims made about them for people with ADHD, autism, or anxiety. However, there has not been research proving this notion. They quickly fell in popularity and sales after peaking in May 2017.