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Astroid - an effective 3D mouse ?

PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:34 pm
by Miguel Palaoro
Hello Fellows,

Anybody have an experience on using 3D handling devices like this ?

Image

It's marketed as a high productivity increaser.

Here is the manufacturer website:

http://www.spatialfreedom.com/pages/default.asp

Thanks,
Miguel

PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:45 pm
by Neil Blanchard
Hi Miguel,

The four buttons on each side look like they are far too small to be usable. The "wrist rest" looks pretty uncomfortable, as well.

Meh.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:52 am
by Nick Pyner
Very doubtful.
The hand isn't symmetrical, so why is this device?
It's either too big or the buttons are too small, or both.
Don't ask how the round button at the bottom is used, perhaps you bang it with the bottom of your wrist!

EDIT

It is quite interesting to have a look at the "white paper" (Oh, the pretensiousness!!) on the spatialfreedom website. Hilton may be an M.E and also have a degree in computer science, but he doesn't know a thing about ergonomics and the various designs displayed over the years clearly show that nothing could be further from his mind.

This device has been around in its current form for three years. In that time it may have been taken up by the games players but, while they may go for fans with blue lights, it wouldn't surprise me if even they haven't been fooled by the kewel looks of this silly exercise.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:48 am
by Miguel Palaoro
Thanks for your comments, guys. Apparently Mr. Hilton knows not so much about ergonomics.

In fact I'd be interested also to know how much of the device abilities would be feasible to become used inside a 3D environment like DataCAD is starting to trail.

Thanks,
Miguel