WPI students create wireless 3D ring mouse

No doubt we've seen some snazzy takes on mousing instruments, but when Popular Science dubs your twist on the critter we couldn't do without an Invention of the Year, you've accomplished something. A team of WPI undergraduate students were able to win such an honor by crafting the MagicMouse, a "three-dimensional computer mouse" that allows users to "control and manipulate items on a computer screen just by pointing at the monitor." While we've seen similar ideas for helping disabled individuals interface with a computer, this wee iteration actually fits around one's finger and "uses an array of receivers to track the motion of a tiny ultrasonic transmitter." The cursor is moved by waving one's hand back and forth, while moving closer and backing away enables zooming functions to be utilized, which should make handling those CAD drawings a good bit easier. Perhaps most notable, however, is the relatively low cost of assembly, as the entire contraption (rechargeable Li-ion and all) cost just $155, and we're sure you know how far that could fall if a bulk buying manufacturer brought it to commercialization. A few more pictures after the jump.

[Via Popular Science and Gizmag]

[matthew @ May 21st 2007 11:41PM]

is the hand model robin williams?

[CT @ May 22nd 2007 12:26AM]

No, it is clearly pre-burn George Costanza.

[dave b @ May 21st 2007 11:51PM]

This could be the future of mousing...brilliant.

www.bandwagn.com

[Mark Q @ May 22nd 2007 12:12AM]

Holy shit...my friend is a part of this team...congrats Mike! You earned it!

[l3ong @ May 22nd 2007 12:31AM]

My only conerns would be precision and accidently hurting someone when trying to zoom, we all know the so called accidents caused by those dangerous Wii remotes!

[javi @ May 22nd 2007 12:44AM]

Is this based on the original RingMouse of over a decade ago?
http://www.byte.com/art/9602/sec17/art6.htm

[Edward K. @ May 22nd 2007 1:11AM]

Just a note

if you change this sentence from:
"but when Popular Science dubs your twist on the critter we couldn't do without an Invention of the Year, you've accomplished something"

to:
"but when Popular Science dubs your twist on the critter-we-couldn't-do-without an Invention of the Year, you've"

it makes it much easier to read and more gramatically correct. I honestly had trouble with it the several times I read it.

[Dern @ May 22nd 2007 5:25AM]

I wonder what happens when you start typing at the keyboard. Will the mouse start jumping up and down on every keypress?

[hackedbyjoe @ May 22nd 2007 5:33AM]

How do you click?

[SC @ May 22nd 2007 7:45PM]

You make a clicking motion with your finger. It works on all 3 axes.

[JP @ May 22nd 2007 5:49AM]

Hm looks nearly nice ;-) ^^
I had a similar concept about 3 years ago, mine worked with an infrared led on a ring and 4 infrared enabled cams integrated into a keyboard. I think its much easyer with the visual solution, than the audio one, because it's simple triangulation not affected by enviromental jammers. The price would be about the same, because those cams got realy cheap (see the one in the wiimote). This giant 5 sensor array is Way to big I think (one reason I integrated it into the keyboard) and why the hell does it have to stand next to the display *cries* I developed mine as a way to turn a simple lcd into a touchscreen, and I think that increases usefulnes by 200%.

Have a nice day, JP

[jon @ May 22nd 2007 8:17AM]

wow, i like the fact that the li-polymer battery *is* the ring.

[Jose El Maton @ May 22nd 2007 9:04AM]

"Use the schwartz, Lone Star."

[maxdamage @ May 22nd 2007 9:09AM]

Hmm, not too keen on the whole using the battery as a ring thing. One defect and your minus a finger :/

[Paul @ May 22nd 2007 9:16AM]

My comment is that as a complete and total internet addicted, I tend to be very lazy.

As such I don't think I would enjoy having to hold my arm off the ground for extended periods of time (I am thinking 3+ hours here)

Still, this is a pretty interesting idea.

[ajeromin42 @ May 22nd 2007 12:42PM]

I love the implementation and the thought process... much more convenient than the Nintendo Power Glove.. plus the third dimension- mension- sion- on- n... (that was echoing...)

[Jninja @ May 22nd 2007 1:13PM]

looks like testing earlier prototypes left him with a nasty scar on his index finger

[Mike Cretella @ May 22nd 2007 10:07PM]

Nahhh he got hit by a car.

No, seriously :-p He's OK though.

[James @ May 22nd 2007 1:45PM]

Agreed, this is a cool nerd toy that might play well with powerpoint presentations, etc, but as an everyday mouse, no thanks. It's bad enough that some Wii games want me to hold my arm out for tens of minutes or even hours; I'm not about to read web pages while doing "iron cross" poses...

[Case @ May 22nd 2007 5:18PM]

NaturalPoint offers a much better product called Smartnav that has a great degree of accuracy and lets you customize the software like crazy. I'd rather go the route of something that is proven and is more widely accessible. That's just me though.

[Nintendud @ May 22nd 2007 8:58PM]

Wow! I'm attending WPI in the fall.
Nice. Maybe something I do will end up on Engadget.

[Deaner @ Jul 19th 2007 4:07PM]

I can see potential with the disabled. Use this together with the www.frogpad.com and I could be two handed again! sweet... Nice work! Let me know when it's up for sale.