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Show HN: Ergonomic mouse where you lift your fingers to click
I've developed a mouse where I click by lifting my fingers instead of pressing them down. I've found that this helps with my RSI and I'm running an Indiegogo campaign (like Kickstarter) to see if others are interested in me doing a production run.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the idea!
http://igg.me/p/173482?a=881199
- beno91 14y agoone upvote for the upmouse!
- Foy 14y agoCool idea, I think it'd be more appealing if you could somehow do it without the "hood" over the mouse. I don't know much about hardware but is it possible to have touch sensors where the mouse buttons are so it can sense when you lift your fingers instead of when you push a button above your hand?
- dbenamy 14y agoRe-posting my reply as an actual reply in case you don't see my top level comment: Thanks! Using touch sensors that detect when you lift your fingers is an interesting idea. I bet it would be more difficult than buttons. Maybe version 2? :-)
- ktizo 14y agoSurely the simplest solution is just to use microswitches that are lightly sprung, so that the weight of the finger is enough to hold them down. There are probably some that would work as drop in replacements in already existing mice.
- dbenamy 14y ago@Foy, thanks! Using touch sensors that detect when you lift your fingers is an interesting idea. I bet it would be more difficult than buttons. Maybe version 2? :-)
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- Foy 14y agoIt'd definitely make it more expensive, but I think there'd be more resistance to adopting a mouse where you stick your hand in it. Reminds me of the power glove: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AacoxHFYvZw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AacoxHFYvZw
- dbenamy 14y agoHow would you feel about something shaped like the prototype? https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CUDaxDwJyR0/UA1sdGipv4I/AAAAAAAAD3s/BYW1igIjxf4/s640/Prototype%25201%2520with%2520hand.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CUDaxDwJyR0/UA1sdGipv4I/A... Hehe.
- dllu 14y agoPerhaps you can use light sensors instead? I haven't tested it, but it would seem that something like the QRD 1114 sensor might work. As for the scroll wheel, how about a thumb-controlled analog stick? (although it would be hard to make that compatible with both right-handed and left-handed people). The main thing preventing me from buying something like that is the lack of a scroll wheel... many applications require one, including 3D modelling software, first person shooter video games, etc.
- dbenamy 14y agoThanks for the ideas! With light sensors, do you mean that the fingers would normally cover them and when you lift them off the sensors they would detect that? That's pretty clever. Although you'd have to make sure that when your fingers are down, you're lined up and covering the sensor. Maybe the mouse could have indentations which guide your fingers to the right spots. I'll bookmark that part for future reference. I thought I was going to hate not having the scroll wheel but it turns out I don't mind much. The only game I've played recently is diablo 3 which doesn't need it, but 3d modeling was a PITA. Maybe I'll try the analog stick idea for version 2. Thanks again!
- arn 14y agoGood luck. If it doesn't work out, and you haven't already tried this mouse, give it a shot: http://www.amazon.com/3M-Ergonomic-Optical-Compatible-EM500GPL/dp/B00008KWWF http://www.amazon.com/3M-Ergonomic-Optical-Compatible-EM500G... I like it a lot. Use my thumb to click.
- dbenamy 14y agoThanks arn! I have tried that mouse. It was great for a while but then I started getting pain from clicking my thumb too much :-/ I suppose that may eventually happen with the up mouse. fingers crossed
- arn 14y agoah interesting. When I use a regular mouse, I click like crazy - I think more than needed, so that might explain it. For the vertical mouse, I don't find I click as much. fwiw, I also use http://www.marcmoini.com/sx_en.html http://www.marcmoini.com/sx_en.html - which allows me to use the button on the shaft of the vertical mouse to grab-and-scroll windows. useful for scrolling web views, and probably reduces my actual clicking.
- dbenamy 14y agoOh cool. Thanks for that link!
- philip1209 14y agoInteresting. I just bought this vertical mouse last month: http://www.amazon.com/Evoluent-Vertical-Mouse-Right-Handed/dp/B00427TAIK/ref=pd_cp_pc_1 http://www.amazon.com/Evoluent-Vertical-Mouse-Right-Handed/d...
- arn 14y agosame idea. I've tried that design. for some reason I didn't ever feel like I had a great grip on it and pushing buttons right-to-left felt weird to me.
- technel 14y agoForgive my ignorance: I get that it uses the extensors instead of the flexors, and it doesn't go through the carpal tunnel, but wouldn't you just eventually get RSI in another part of your wrist then?
- dbenamy 14y agoGood question! It's possible that this will eventually happen, but I think it's unlikely for 2 reasons: Lots of stuff goes through a small area in the carpal tunnel so it's easy for it to all rub too much and get irritated. My understanding is that the extensors don't all go through a similar narrow area so are less likely to have this problem. The flexors are used a lot for typing. By moving some of the wear from mousing to the extensors, the idea is to better spread out the wear and tear.
- lazerwalker 14y agoI wonder if you could hack something like this together purely in software using a Magic Mouse, since its surface is just a big piece of multitouch glass. There's still the problem that the physical form factor isn't the most ergonomic, but the barrier to entry for trying it out is pretty low.
- ebrink 14y agoThis is an interesting idea. Have you consulted the keyboard and mouse enthusiast groups? There are two well known groups to propose the idea to, the local experts would definitely have some insight: http://geekhack.org http://geekhack.org and http://deskthority.net http://deskthority.net
- dbenamy 14y agoI didn't know about those groups. Thanks for the links! I'll definitely contact them.
- paulsb 14y agoIt would be nice if the mouse was tilted slightly so that your wrist is not parallel to the desk. For the scroll wheel, you could put that under the thumb, i.e. on the side.