Some want to offer an alternative solution for PC control that does not harm health,
The concept of a computer mouse has remained largely the same for years, and people spend a lot of time with them, which sometimes leads to diseases that are not limited to just the wrist (the entire arm, including the forearm, is sometimes used to move the mouse):
«The main reason for such distribution of load from the hand with the mouse to other parts of the body is that users often have to change the position of the mouse several hundred times per hour, for example, trying to reach the corners of the screen. As every mouse user knows, moving the mouse requires moving the wrist, and sometimes even the forearm. However, our observations showed that users were aware of how much they were moving their wrist only thanks to video-reflexive ethnography».
Scientists from Sweden and Australia proposed several alternative computer mouse options that are designed to reduce wrist strain. They believe that the main cause of the problem is the «rigid» mouse body.
Fleximouse has a flexible mesh body that responds to compression, i.e. users will be able to move the cursor by changing the grip, rather than moving the device across the surface.
A-frame — The A-shaped mouse design provides a more natural grip and contains fewer moving parts, which means less wear and tear. In addition, this design prevents the constant crossing of the two bones of the forearm — the radius and ulna — as happens when the arm is horizontal — this, according to researchers, is the main cause of wrist strain.
Both versions of the mouse were tested by 28 students from the Royal Institute of Technology — many of them «were gamers and regular mouse users». 11 of them reported chronic discomfort when using the mouse, and four reported having a repetitive strain injury
Reviews of the prototypes were «mixed»: some appreciated the lack of need to frequently change the position of the wrist, but other users missed the usual functions, such as the scroll wheel.
The A-shaped mouse also raised questions about ease of use: researchers found that even small differences in hand size affected the convenience and naturalness of the grip.
Nevertheless, both mouse prototypes «significantly reduced the need to change the position of the wrist», which is a definite success.
The results of the study «highlight the untapped potential of flexible shells to rethink input devices beyond rigid forms».
