RollerMouse Aims to Replace the Traditional Mouse

ThinSkin writes "Over at ExtremeTech, we have reviewed the RollerMousePRO, an ergonomic input device that claims to reduce pain and discomfort associated with repetitive mouse use while also increasing productivity. The idea behind the product is to have a fully functional docking station for your keyboard that allows you to navigate a cursor without much hand movement. There is an interesting Flash demo that illustrates how this works." Using a roller-bar beneath the keyboard may remind some people of the Outbound Macintosh-based laptop.

Use the TouchStream, instead.

[Linurati]

I love/use the TouchStream LP keyboard and iGesture pad from FingerWorks(.com). Not only does the Touchstream eliminate the reaching entirely, but it includes gestures which allow you to do simple things like cut, copy, paste, scroll, and many other things by doing finger motions. I got used to the gestures in minutes. The iGesture has the same gestures, but is a mouse-pad sized touchpad. Both recognize various gestures performed with multiple fingers at the same time, unlike any other touch device. The only downside (aside from the price), is that getting used to typing on the flat surface with no tactile feedback was tricky. After a couple of weeks, I was pretty much back to normal. I'd advise anyone to check out their forums and ask questions. You'll learn the good and the bad. For the most part, the users think it's the best thing since the study of ergonomics was invented. Yes, I RTFA. But I didn't like what I saw. Compared to the FingerWorks devices, this is like 20-year-old technology. Shawn

Re:How is this better

[WhatAmIDoingHere]

I've got an Inspiron 4150 and I love my nub. I use it way more often than the touchpad.

Re:How is this better

[PornMaster]

I've found that using the Thinkpad eraser makes my fingertip tender after a long session of heavy mousing... in that really annoying way that kind of hurts when typing with my index finger.

I love my Thinkpad, and prefer the keyboard nipple over a trackpad, by far, but it's still far from ideal.

Re:What pain and discomfort?

[WhatAmIDoingHere]

You've never heard of this [unl.edu]?

Sore shoulder

[Anonymous Coward]

Anatomy varies between individuals. Some people have an extra rib in the neck. Others have different clavicle widths than you do.

Depending on precisely where you mouse is, how you work, and how your body is built you can irritate the cushioning pads in the shoulder or compress the nerve bundle that controls the arm, leading to pain and numbness.

The conditions are startlingly serious. It's possible to completely lose the use of the arm. There's also a certain stigma, because externally the arm looks fine. People float somewhere between thinking the victim must be faking it to hoping they are because otherwise, you might be next.

The prognosis is pretty good if the victim takes it seriously right away. Unfortunately, the attitude tends to be "Oh, yeah, Sam. My arm gets tired too. Go home and ice it," rather than, "Hey Sam, I wonder if you might be doing permanent nerve damage. Do you think you should talk to a doctor about physical therapy?"

A related complaint that people often don't take seriously is ulnar nerve entrapment. Habitually leaning on one's elbow can incapacitate the ring and pinky fingers permanently, curling the hand into a half-useless claw. These nerve bundles are almost as crucial as the spine, but not so well protected.

Re:Use the TouchStream, instead.

[jdreyer]

TouchStream kb and iGesture pad [fingerworks.com] look like interesting products. But for a shorter learning curve, a generic touchpad solves some of the same problems, and can be integrated into an ergo keyboard [adesso.com].

Re:Hypochondriacs and malingers

[Ed_Moyse]

Erm. No.

When I was writing my thesis I had severe problems with my wrist(s - I swapped hands after my right wrist became too painful). I developed three ganglion cysts (big lump on the wrist - big enough that people would point at it and ask what it was) which had to be drained by the doctor.

I work way saner hours now, but if I start putting in hours like that again, I start getting twinges. I would pay a *lot* for something that stopped that happening again.

And for the record, since I was working (effectively) for myself malingering wouldn't really make much sense, and not only was it fucking painful, but I had a big offensive swelling on my wrist. Hopefully this would convince even the most harden cynic that something was wrong.

Re:My optical mouse isn't going anywhere

[PepeGSay]

what you want already exists: http://www.naturalpoint.com/ [naturalpoint.com]

Still prefer the Fingerworks Touchstream

[John Whitley]

The Rollermouse is interesting, but IMO the coolest mouse/keyboard alternative out there remains the Fingerworks [fingerworks.com] Touchstream Keyboard [fingerworks.com]. It's a keyboard implemented as a touch surface. It's similar to a large laptop touchpad, except that the technology used forms an image of the hand in proximity to the keyboard surface (no "double touch" issues). This enables "zero-force typing", mousing, and programmable gesturing support. Typing does require a period of adjustment and retraining. The payoff is that your typing surface is also your mousing surface -- you'll never reach for that mouse again. E.g. for basic pointing, touch and move two fingers at a time. For drag/select just use three fingers -- no extra "click" is required. Other gestures [fingerworks.com] support scrolling, 3-button mousing, copy, paste, undo/redo, etc. Various modes are available for application specific support, e.g. Emacs, Programmer's mode. IIRC, there are also modes (possibly user-contributed?) for graphics apps such as Photoshop, Maya, etc. Fingerworks' open-source XWinder tool further enables window-manipulation (move, resize, etc.) gestures on various OSes.

The Touchstream requires no drivers beyond standard USB keyboard/mouse support, so it'll work out of the box with just about any modern OS out there.

While the Touchstream is somewhat spendy, there are also the more reasonably priced iGesture pads, think of a mouse-pad with a USB cable (and no mouse). These handle mousing, gesture recognition, and optionally numpad or mini-QWERTY keyboards. This is also nice option for folks who want to keep their conventional keyboard, but add the advantages of gesturing support.

(Std. Disclaimer: I have no business relationship w/ these folks, I just think they have a great product...)

Re:What pain and discomfort?

[ClosedSource]

In California at least, the most you could get away with is workman's compensation. You can't sue your employer for on-the-job injuries. Despite all the industry crying about high premiums, workman's comp shields them from the potentially higher costs of taking the matter to the courts.

Re:What pain and discomfort?

[kevcol]

I, too, am a rightie that switched. I used to get horrendous shoulder and neck pain after a day in front of the computer. I *had* to switch as I could barely use my right hand/arm for any task- not just computing. That was over 10 years ago, and I haven't had a problem since I started mousing with the left hand. Even things that require more refined movement like using an image editor (Photoshop/GIMP/etc.) that you would normally do with your dominant hand, my left does it all. Every once in awhile I try to see how well I can use my right hand and it's awkward.

Re:Faugh on the mouse monopoly!

[ZiZ]

Of course. The bar slides to the left and right and rolls up and down. This makes diagonal movement a little tricky, but it can be managed with a little care and practice. The bar also clicks for a left-click. You have infinite up-down rolling, but only so much left-right sliding, so there's a feature to bump the wall twice to move your cursor to that edge of the screen.

Re:What'e the matter...

[jacksonj04]

Mouses. Mice is the plural of the rodent, mouses of the pointing device.

Re:How is this better

[line.at.infinity]

than the thinkpad pointing device? (the small red joystick between "G,H,B" keys)

Similarly, how is this better than a trackpad?

Third party apps usually exist for trackpads that allow the cursor to keep cruising once your finger hits the trackpad edge.

The reviewer seemed to have difficulties with the rollerbar even after using it for a week.

Re:Love the thinkpad nipple

[pv2b]

Does anybody know where I could find a standard layout keyboard with a touchpoint?

Yes. I know where to find one! :-) ...

What's that? I'm overdoing the smartassitude?

Bah. Okay.

I'll be nice. :-P

Unicomp [pckeyboard.com] sells a keyboard called "On the Stick", which is a 101-keyboard with trackpoint goodness. Here's a link to the catalogue page [pckeyboard.com].

As an added bonus, it will give you buckling spring goodness, as previously seen on keyboards like the IBM Model M.

I haven't tried the keyboard myself (I hate trackpoints, I'm a touchpad person myself), nor have I tried their specific implementation of the buckling spring mechanism, but my PC does have an IBM Model M keyboard connected to it. Type hard or go home! ;-)

Hope this helps.

ergonomically different != ergonomically better

[mossmann]

According to the occupational therapist who helped me recover from a repetitive stress injury, repeatedly bending extending your thumbs down from your keyboard onto such a device is one of the worst things you can do.

Re:How is this better

[fanblade]

A joystick requires you to regulate the force you are applying in a direction without actually moving your finger in that direction. This roller works more like a trackpad, taking motions of your fingers and calculating the force and direction from that.

Up/down speed is controlled by the speed you are rolling the roller. You don't have to push harder to move the cursor faster. And as far as I can tell, lateral movement works exactly like a trackpad (sliding your finger). However, it does work like a joystick in one regard. When you've slid as far to one side as you can, you have to push harder to trigger a button that moves the cursor farther.