The first design attempt was to modify a grabbing tool to hold nail clippers. 

(E.g. https://www.amazon.com/Duro-Med-Aluminum-Reacher-Magnetic-Tip/dp/B0009STNME/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407545592&sr=8-1&keywords=Aluminum+Reacher+with+Magnetic+Tip)

Several problems were found trying this:

1. Vision:

Positioning the clippers is difficult without having a close eye on what you're doing.

2. Hand steadiness and clipper position:

Moving the clippers into place using the long gripper can be challenging for anyone who doesn't have a very strong and steady arm. An adjustable system which lets you put the clipper right where you need it and then hold it rigidly in place would be preferable.

3. Clipping force:

Toenails growth is affect by medical conditions age, which can make them very thick and hard. They require a surprising amount of force to cut, so that can be difficult to transfer through a gripper system.

The outcome was that we needed a more robust, safe and repeatable design.