Combimouse, a hybrid mouse and keyboard, launched a crowdsourcing campaign
Dear users, please do not minus the article and I just because you do not like the idea of this project. Believe me, there are enough people to whom this device will be useful for it to have the right to life. Do not deprive them of the Russian-language part of the opportunity to learn about it and do not punish me for wanting to tell about it.
Combimouse is a hybrid mouse and keyboard for those who own a ten-finger set .
The goal of the project is to save the user from having to shift his right hand from the mouse to the keyboard and back all the time.
')
This need has always strained me. I tried to minimize the need for a mouse more than once: I tried to use hotkeys to the maximum, Opera used spatial navigation (Shift + arrows), I learned Vim, which mode is in any decent IDE and even in Chrome . The laptop has a TrackPoint , but the accuracy and speed of positioning the cursor with it (and even more so with the touchpad) is much lower than with a mouse.
All this reduces the need for constant transfer of the hand, but does not eliminate it. A mouse on a modern PC is always needed, on any OS and with any kind of activity.
Australian Ari Zagnoev proposes to solve this problem radically: integrate the right half of the keyboard directly into the mouse. I have been following this project for many years. For a long time it existed in the form of a concept and a single prototype. Finally, the author moved the business off the ground and launched crowdfunding.
Combimouse consists of two halves. The left one is stationary and is simply half of the usual keyboard. Right - the mouse with the integrated right half of the keyboard. The following discussion will deal only with her.
On the right side of the mouse is a sensor that responds to the touch of his little finger. When you hold the Combimouse with your fingers from the sides, it works in mouse mode. When you move your fingers on the keys - switches to keyboard mode.
In mouse mode, you can use one of two pairs of keys: [,] and [L] or [J] and [O] as the right and left keys, depending on how you are used to holding the mouse. If your palm is on the table all the time and you hold the mouse with your fingertips (“fingertip grip” or “claw grip”), a pair of keys below will suit you. If you are used to put your whole hand on the mouse, then you would prefer a couple of keys above.
In keyboard mode, Combimouse is immobilized. How exactly this will be implemented is kept secret until a patent is obtained for the technology.
The authors plan to implement scrolling instead of the mouse wheel using a tactile sensor on one of the keys.
The authors of the project assure that, despite its massive appearance, the Combimouse will weigh no more than a wireless gaming mouse. The center of gravity will also be located in the same way as a traditional mouse, apparently due to the location of the battery in the back.
The authors expect to lay the price of the device in $ 150.
Technical characteristics of Combimouse are given on the official website , however, most likely, they are not final.
According to the authors of the project, Combimouse has the following advantages:
The authors honestly warn that the device will have the following disadvantages:
Crowdfunding aims to raise funds for the initial development of the project. Unfortunately, the mass production is not talking.
The choice of IndieGoGo as a fundraising platform, as I assume, is due to the fact that there the author of the project receives all the donations, even if the stated amount is not collected. On Kickstarter, the author gets all or nothing.
A new prototype (two pieces) that meets the requirements of mass production will be manufactured on raised funds. This includes the design of enclosures, circuit boards, membrane plates and keys. A lawyer will be hired to prepare and file a patent. New prototype tests will be conducted, this time at Australian Curtin University, to reveal all ergonomic “roughness”. Engineers will be hired in Australia and a manufacturer will be selected in China.
If there is enough money, then production will follow, which will require another six months. If the funds are not enough, the authors will look for investors.
For $ 110, backers will receive Combimouse from the first limited installment. You can pay more: the more you pay, the closer you will be to the top of the queue. A payment of $ 200 also includes free international shipping.
If you donate a smaller amount, it will give you a discount on the subsequent purchase of Combimouse. Discount exceeds donated amount.
I understand that this project in the eyes of most of you probably looks ridiculous. A wave of monotonous jokes is inevitable.
But personally, I very much hope that the authors will be able to launch mass production. The ergonomics of the computer is in deep stagnation: nothing has changed in it, nothing at all since the invention of the ball mouse in the early seventies.
I repeat that Combimouse is a niche product, aimed not at a wide audience, but only at some of the people who own a blind set. In the comments to the article about blind typing (which, by coincidence, was published on the day the Combimouse started crowdfunding), a couple of people spoke about the inconvenience of constantly shifting hands between the mouse and the keyboard. So if the subject is not needed by you personally, it does not mean that it is not needed by anyone. Is needed. At least me and that guy over there. Probably… :)
About the fact that the project Combimouse moved from the dead center, I learned exactly at the moment when I was considering the purchase of an Ergotron bracket. I dreamed that I could work with a computer not only sitting at the table, but also wallowing next to him on the sofa - the bracket would allow the monitor to be turned to the sofa without the slightest effort. So, I found that keeping the keyboard on the belly is very uncomfortable. It would be mountain-a-much better to keep the halves of the keyboard on either side of the hips and typing with relaxed, straight arms.
A thorough review of the market has shown that keyboards consisting of two wireless halves are not produced by any manufacturer in the world. And here is such a gift - wireless halves, and even integration with the mouse. I donated $ 110 without hesitation.
Of course, there is a chance that I won’t get my Combimouse at all. There is a chance that the first batch will fail. I already had a bad experience with Warmouse Meta . There, the authors have released a product at their own expense, but at a very high cost. In addition to the highly ambiguous ergonomics, the software (with closed source) had a couple of heavy bugs that made the device useless. The authors released updates, but at some point they simply disappeared. We stopped responding to emails, blogging and twittering, releasing software. It is not excluded that the same fate awaits Combimouse.
But I am optimistic. The author of the project has a very solid approach.
In general, if you are the same ten-finger freak, like me, join .
PS The author of the project at IndieGoGo very responsively answers questions and accepts suggestions. So, he promised to make the keys fully configurable, which will allow everyone to customize Combimouse according to their needs.
Combimouse is a hybrid mouse and keyboard for those who own a ten-finger set .The goal of the project is to save the user from having to shift his right hand from the mouse to the keyboard and back all the time.
')
This need has always strained me. I tried to minimize the need for a mouse more than once: I tried to use hotkeys to the maximum, Opera used spatial navigation (Shift + arrows), I learned Vim, which mode is in any decent IDE and even in Chrome . The laptop has a TrackPoint , but the accuracy and speed of positioning the cursor with it (and even more so with the touchpad) is much lower than with a mouse.
All this reduces the need for constant transfer of the hand, but does not eliminate it. A mouse on a modern PC is always needed, on any OS and with any kind of activity.
Australian Ari Zagnoev proposes to solve this problem radically: integrate the right half of the keyboard directly into the mouse. I have been following this project for many years. For a long time it existed in the form of a concept and a single prototype. Finally, the author moved the business off the ground and launched crowdfunding.
Technical details
Combimouse consists of two halves. The left one is stationary and is simply half of the usual keyboard. Right - the mouse with the integrated right half of the keyboard. The following discussion will deal only with her.On the right side of the mouse is a sensor that responds to the touch of his little finger. When you hold the Combimouse with your fingers from the sides, it works in mouse mode. When you move your fingers on the keys - switches to keyboard mode.
In mouse mode, you can use one of two pairs of keys: [,] and [L] or [J] and [O] as the right and left keys, depending on how you are used to holding the mouse. If your palm is on the table all the time and you hold the mouse with your fingertips (“fingertip grip” or “claw grip”), a pair of keys below will suit you. If you are used to put your whole hand on the mouse, then you would prefer a couple of keys above.
In keyboard mode, Combimouse is immobilized. How exactly this will be implemented is kept secret until a patent is obtained for the technology.
The authors plan to implement scrolling instead of the mouse wheel using a tactile sensor on one of the keys.
The authors of the project assure that, despite its massive appearance, the Combimouse will weigh no more than a wireless gaming mouse. The center of gravity will also be located in the same way as a traditional mouse, apparently due to the location of the battery in the back.
The authors expect to lay the price of the device in $ 150.
Technical characteristics of Combimouse are given on the official website , however, most likely, they are not final.
Advantages and disadvantages
According to the authors of the project, Combimouse has the following advantages:
- Combimouse provides instant transition between mouse and keyboard without any effort. It is extremely convenient to use. Combimouse is arguably the fastest and most efficient data entry method, requiring frequent use of the mouse. Often, people avoid using the mouse because of the unpleasant need to remove the hand from the keyboard all the time (I'd add that no fewer people use the keyboard for the same reason).
- The right half has a built-in digital block, making Combimouse an excellent tool for navigating and entering data into spreadsheets.
- Combimouse includes a multibutton mouse, convenient for gaming (first of all, apparently, for the MMORPG, but the authors assure that it works well in FPS Combimouse), CAD design and most other applications.
- The authors of the project received many emails from people with various disabilities. These people write how Combimouse will help them cope with their limitations.
When using a traditional keyboard, the mouse is located to the right of it. Combimouse eliminates the need to move your right hand too far.- Combimouse saves space on the table. The halves of the device are small enough to push them away when they are not needed. During use, they can be kept both in front of you and on the sides of yourself, freeing up space in front of you for papers (or a plate of dumplings!).
- The right half of the device can be used with a laptop, which provides a laptop simultaneously with a mouse, instantly accessible keyboard and a block of number keys.
The authors honestly warn that the device will have the following disadvantages:
- Only suitable for people owning a blind set.
- Only suitable for right-handers.
- The price of the device will correspond to high-end wireless peripherals. The authors will try to meet the $ 150.
- The mouse is low. If you put the whole palm on the mouse (“palm grip”), the mouse does not completely fill it (like the Apple Magic Mouse).
- To provide an acceptable weight, the right half will be less durable than other mice. Probably, it can not withstand falling to the floor from the height of the table.
- The digital block is combined with the keys of the right half of the keyboard, similar to how it is done in laptops.
- Many additional keys are moved compared to their location on the traditional keyboard.
- Home, End, Page Up and Page Down are implemented via the Fn modifier key.
- Backspace and Delete are moved from their usual places, but they are very conveniently located.
Stages of the project
- 1999 - Australian Ari Zagnoev invented and patented Combimouse
- 2003 - A prototype device tested by Wichita State University (Kansas, USA). The report is available here . Tests have shown that Combimouse is not inferior to the mouse in terms of work efficiency. The speed of dialing on the Combimouse turned out to be lower than on the traditional keyboard. The researchers point out that this is definitely due to the absence of the subject's habit for the unusual device.
- 2003 - The Minister of Information Technology of Australia presents Ari with an award in the Australian IT Secrets competition.
- 2003—2013 - ???
- March 2013 - the second prototype was made. This is a technical prototype, roughly executed externally, so the first prototype appears on all photos.
- April 2013 - a campaign to raise funds for the development of the project was launched on the IndieGoGo resource.
Fundraising
Crowdfunding aims to raise funds for the initial development of the project. Unfortunately, the mass production is not talking.
The choice of IndieGoGo as a fundraising platform, as I assume, is due to the fact that there the author of the project receives all the donations, even if the stated amount is not collected. On Kickstarter, the author gets all or nothing.
A new prototype (two pieces) that meets the requirements of mass production will be manufactured on raised funds. This includes the design of enclosures, circuit boards, membrane plates and keys. A lawyer will be hired to prepare and file a patent. New prototype tests will be conducted, this time at Australian Curtin University, to reveal all ergonomic “roughness”. Engineers will be hired in Australia and a manufacturer will be selected in China.
If there is enough money, then production will follow, which will require another six months. If the funds are not enough, the authors will look for investors.
For $ 110, backers will receive Combimouse from the first limited installment. You can pay more: the more you pay, the closer you will be to the top of the queue. A payment of $ 200 also includes free international shipping.
If you donate a smaller amount, it will give you a discount on the subsequent purchase of Combimouse. Discount exceeds donated amount.
Personal opinion
I understand that this project in the eyes of most of you probably looks ridiculous. A wave of monotonous jokes is inevitable.
But personally, I very much hope that the authors will be able to launch mass production. The ergonomics of the computer is in deep stagnation: nothing has changed in it, nothing at all since the invention of the ball mouse in the early seventies.
I repeat that Combimouse is a niche product, aimed not at a wide audience, but only at some of the people who own a blind set. In the comments to the article about blind typing (which, by coincidence, was published on the day the Combimouse started crowdfunding), a couple of people spoke about the inconvenience of constantly shifting hands between the mouse and the keyboard. So if the subject is not needed by you personally, it does not mean that it is not needed by anyone. Is needed. At least me and that guy over there. Probably… :)
About the fact that the project Combimouse moved from the dead center, I learned exactly at the moment when I was considering the purchase of an Ergotron bracket. I dreamed that I could work with a computer not only sitting at the table, but also wallowing next to him on the sofa - the bracket would allow the monitor to be turned to the sofa without the slightest effort. So, I found that keeping the keyboard on the belly is very uncomfortable. It would be mountain-a-much better to keep the halves of the keyboard on either side of the hips and typing with relaxed, straight arms.
A thorough review of the market has shown that keyboards consisting of two wireless halves are not produced by any manufacturer in the world. And here is such a gift - wireless halves, and even integration with the mouse. I donated $ 110 without hesitation.
Of course, there is a chance that I won’t get my Combimouse at all. There is a chance that the first batch will fail. I already had a bad experience with Warmouse Meta . There, the authors have released a product at their own expense, but at a very high cost. In addition to the highly ambiguous ergonomics, the software (with closed source) had a couple of heavy bugs that made the device useless. The authors released updates, but at some point they simply disappeared. We stopped responding to emails, blogging and twittering, releasing software. It is not excluded that the same fate awaits Combimouse.
But I am optimistic. The author of the project has a very solid approach.
In general, if you are the same ten-finger freak, like me, join .
PS The author of the project at IndieGoGo very responsively answers questions and accepts suggestions. So, he promised to make the keys fully configurable, which will allow everyone to customize Combimouse according to their needs.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/176397/
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