rich

Hi All

I'm currently in the process of testing out a prototype computer mouse that ive designed, with the aim of significantly reducing hand & wrist strain.
working as an AutoCAD Operator for the past 4 years Ive found that conventional mice have left my fingers & for-arms feeling permanently achy, stiff & tired.
Ive tried alternatives such as track-ball mice & graphics tablets but have found these to be no good for CAD work, which as I’m sure you all know requires a lot of panning & zooming.
Hence my reason for designing my own & so far so good, ive noticed a definite improvement with my prototype, so i'm now looking to approach companies to hopefully get it into production.
Unfortunately, what with applying for patents etc, i'm unable to put a picture of it here.

I would imagine a final price point of around £40.00 (UK) / $70 US, the design will be in handed versions my prototype is a right-handed model although I’m actually left-handed myself having learnt to use both to ease the strain.

My reason for this post (we'll get their in the end) is, as part of my market research, to find out how many of you find existing mice a pain to use, literally and would be interested in a more comfortable mouse.

If you could answer the following points in your replies that would be very much appreciated, answers can also be sent direct to: mouseiow@yahoo.co.ku

1) Do you suffer from mouse strain & if so would you consider buying in an alternative.
2) Are you left or right-handed.
3) If its not obvious- which part of the world are you from.
4) Do you have small/medium or large hands.(a bit personal i know)
5) How much would you be willing to spend on a new mouse.

Thank you for reading this & any feed back would be very much appreciated.

rich

mbr

It's the wrist that bothers me, not my forearms, so not sure I am the right one to ask, but I'd think about it.

-Right handed
-USA
-Medium Hands
-I am most interested in a 'system', something like the logitech one that has a scrolling wheel for you left hand that allows panning quickly (saves your wrist). That system is $200+, I believe, and I'd pay that in a heart beat if I could see one (never seen one sold anywhere or heard anything). I am also interested in those space ball things that are $400, but again, haven't heard any opinions about it.

I am using a MS Explorer 3, which I really like (much, much better than the recent MS mouses that have a non functioning scroll wheel - someone really took a good ergonomic design and killed it with a stupid wheel).

Good luck.

Ernest Burden

1) Do you suffer from mouse strain & if so would you consider buying in an alternative.

I do, and I have. I have bought three or four mice at a time just to find which one works for me.

2) Are you left or right-handed.

Left, but mouse like a 'righty'. This allows me to have my tablet on the left for 'drawing'--best of both worlds.

3) If its not obvious- which part of the world are you from.

California. What isn't obvious is why that matters. pricepoint?

4) Do you have small/medium or large hands.(a bit personal i know)

Probably small to medium. Like my brain

5) How much would you be willing to spend on a new mouse.

US$50 - 100 would be fine, I also would be willing to spend much more for something that was going to be pain free (actually there is little pain, its the numbness that get to you).


But I use a three-button mouse, so that limits my choices.


Also, please don't post asking for private reponses unless its a personal or OT matter. Public postings are important for everyone, we all learn from eachother, which we cannot do when we don't see the responses.

__________________
Ernest Burden III
AcmeDigital
architectural rendering

IC

Never had a problem with this. I do get a sore shoulder sometimes(!) Think I slump too low and compensate by raising my entire shoulder.
How about a harness to hold me above the keyboard like in Mission Impossible?

You're a busy guy what with writing all these TV and Films and yet you still find time for a bit of invention.

__________________
http://iainc.carbonmade.com/

trhoads

1) Do you suffer from mouse strain & if so would you consider buying in an alternative.
yes, my two smallest fingers are numb a lot, and i have pain in my elbow.
2) Are you left or right-handed.
right
3) If its not obvious- which part of the world are you from.
the US, Georgia
4) Do you have small/medium or large hands.(a bit personal i know)
medium
5) How much would you be willing to spend on a new mouse.
whatever it takes to avoid going to the doctor. this problem only gets worse, and eventually requires interventtion from a doctor.

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rich

thanks for those chaps, were a sorry sounding bunch, but its all usefull info, as to a couple of points raised; my question over location is to find out where the demand might be for the mouse, although its early days to be working out market demographics & sadly for me & my bank manager i'm not comedy film making 'curtis', no i'm much funnier than that!.

thanks again

rich

kippu

wow i thought i was the only one with that hand problem.... last time i had that ultrasound treatment for 3 days.... now the pain is starting to develop again...argh

Sawyer

I was given this Gryo mouse thing. It's a point mouse that you hold in your hand like a gun and pull the trigger. The idea is that you can lean back but it really makes it a pain for typing as you have to put it down to type instead of just moving your hand. Turns out my hands actually shake too much to aim it well. It might have a great application somwhere but it was a bit of a stretch for me to find it practicle.

vertexART

1) Do you suffer from mouse strain & if so would you consider buying in an alternative?
Nope, I suffer from shoulder ache instead of wrist pain. I guess I need a new desk instead of the mouse

2) Are you left or right-handed?
Right

3) If its not obvious- which part of the world are you from?
SE Europe

4) Do you have small/medium or large hands.(a bit personal i know)
L

5) How much would you be willing to spend on a new mouse?
All that it takes to take my pain away

__________________
www.3dcage.com
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3DSMax8/MR/Vray

derijones

Left handed - can't get used to using the mouse right handed at all!
medium/large hands
Use a wireless MS optical mouse - symmetrical in shape that feels nicely weighted and has a positive "click" and scroll wheel - I think I may be a bit heavy handed.....
Cost - £80 if it felt robust and could put up with a LOT of mouseclicks and helped with posture and such like.

I get "clicky" wrists and stiff fingers (especially when it's cold) - I find if I use the mouse near the edge of the desk so I am sitting properly, i get sore way more quickly, but moving the mouse back on the desk so my forearm is supported makes me slump - giving me a sore back. Would some sort of exoskelton for arm support and minimising wrist movement be handy?

I used to do a lot of rock climbing and find that the forearm stetching excercises and a blob of "power putty" to squish help to relax the muscles and keep the circulation flowing - maybe a squashable mouse could integrate this - great for rage management as well!
I guess the main thing is to learn to take breaks - same with eye strain - 10 minutes staring out the window and stretching my fingers/ forearms/shoulders every hour or so helps a lot.
Cheers
Deri