Spherical wooden mouse

Posted by Rob Beschizza, November 4, 2008 7:21 AM | permalink

Using an accelerometer to track movements, the Jupiter, a completely spherical mouse, doesn't work the way a normal one does.

Handmade from Chinese flowering ash in Japan’s rural Gunma prefecture and earns its name from the natural wood grain swirls and click button that resembles the largest planet’s famous spot.

It looks cool, from the video, but finding out if it works for you doesn't come cheaply: it's $221!

[via

posted in: Accessories

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Discussion

Take a look at this

#1 posted by controlbroke , November 5, 2008 12:56 AM

yeahhh or you could do the same thing with a wiimote and glovepie. for about $2oo less and it still wouldnt be very easy to use..

but thanks for the amazing program carl

Take a look at this

#2 posted by harpdevil , November 5, 2008 2:00 AM

Nice idea, but if I was seriously going to design a spherical mouse I would do it differently. First cut out the wood - it's a gimmick, and an expensive one it seems. Second I would make it out of a material with some give, maybe a rubber surface layer.

The whole point of the spherical mouse is that you can move and turn it in your hand, and in this current design thats going to mean that the buttons will either become inaccessible as you turn it or that movement has to be restricted.

I would make the whole surface of the ball touch sensitive instead of having buttons. One finger squeezing for a click or two for a right click, and maybe programmable commands for 3 or 4 fingers spread out.

Also, make it wireless. That unsightly wire looks plain ugly and i would imagine restricts movement further. And if you think I'm a genius and are planning to steal my idea, I want a respectable cut of the royalties :P