Innovative Developments, LLC has developed a finger mouse that will allow users to move the cursor without having to reach for their touchpad or mouse.
It's another gadget that's getting some funding from Kickstarter, and by pledging $79 or more, backers receive the white version of the Mycestro. For $99, they'll have their pick of colors.
Nick Mastandrea, the founder and CEO, wrote on the Kickstarter page that he first got the idea for a finger-mounted mouse when he was on a plane watching another man struggle with using a full-sized mouse on one of those tiny fold-out airplane tables. The project seems to have widespread appeal: it launched on Feb. 12 and reached its goal within two weeks, with over 1,700 backers at last count.
Usage sounds pretty simple: a touch-sensitive panel would be separated into three sections (left, right, middle), and tapping each section would activate the usual mouse function associated with it. Touching and holding any portion of the Mycestro would activate the cursor, which you manipulate by moving your hand in an imaginary 3D sphere. You essentially push the cursor around. To select, you release the panel and then tap it, or tap and hold the appropriate section. To scroll, you can run your thumb along the panel.
The Mycestro is about the size of a wireless earpiece, Mastandrea writes, weighs next to nothing and the internal battery can be charged via USB. Battery life is around eight hours, and it will come with two different replaceable clip sizes. The clips are semi-rigid, and designed to hold the Mycestro in place without cutting off circulation.
It has a range of about 30 feet, meaning you can completely control movie buttons on your laptop from the bed, and it works with Bluetooth devices such as iPad, iPad mini, iPhone 4S, Apple powerbooks and any PC with a compatible BLE dongle. Android compatibility should be available by the end of the year.
Several artists have expressed interest in the comments, asking about speed and functionality on programs such as Zbrush and Adobe's Photoshop CS6. The Mycestro seems like a tempting option for someone who would rather not haul a tablet around, so Innovative Developments might be able to tap into a huge market if they figure out how to incorporate pressure sensitivity.
Productivity supposedly increases once you eliminate the need to move your hand back and forth with a mouse, allowing you to hover over the keys while typing. It's also more practical and less tiring than a 3-dimensional Iron Man-esque platform, which would beef up your biceps but tire out your arms if you need to keep them raised to operate all the time.
