'CAD AND MOUSE' RESEARCH AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY POINTS COMPUTER USERS TOWARD FEWER ACHES AND PAINS
05-03-04
Contacts:
Abir Qamhiyah, Mechanical Engineering, (515) 294-8060Eddie Boylston, Office of Intellectual Property and Technology
Transfer, (515) 294-3621
Debra Gibson, News Service, (515) 294-4917
'CAD AND MOUSE' RESEARCH AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY POINTS COMPUTER USERS TOWARD FEWER ACHES AND PAINS
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| Mouse alternative (Click to download image) |
Abir Qamhiyah and Don Flugrad, mechanical engineering assistant and associate professors, respectively, at Iowa StateUniversity, have invented a gadget that works as a pointer for computers, video games and eventually, wirelesstechnology components. Because its design eliminates many of the constraints that lead to wrist, arm, shoulder, neckand back ailments, the pointer is more ergonomically friendly.
And a welcome relief to Qamhiyah and her colleagues, who use computer-aided design (CAD) software extensivelythemselves, and have experienced those discomforts. When a departmental secretary began requiring surgeries for theseailments, and other staffers told family stories of computer-related health problems, Qamhiyah and Flugrad beganpursuing mouse alternatives.
After two years, the duo has designed the technology for a pointer gadget small enough to fit into the palm of a hand.Resembling a joystick, it's made of a spongy, flexible material similar to that in a stress relief squeeze ball, makingit conducive for hand exercises while in use. A pressure button at the top of the gadget is controlled by the thumb tomove the cursor across the screen in any direction. The thumb pressure also controls the speed at which the cursormoves. Two push buttons on the side are the right- and left-click buttons.
Qamhiyah and Flugrad currently are modifying the design to include a strap that would allow the device to rest in placeon the hand, freeing up the fingers to type on a computer keyboard and adding to the gadget's convenience. And once awireless prototype has been completed, it will allow lecturers or presenters to move freely around rooms duringcomputer-based presentations.
Currently, a patent is pending on the pointer, and the university is pursuing licensing opportunities for itsmanufacture. For more information on licensing, contact Eddie Boylston, ISU Research Foundation, at (515)294-3621.
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