Replacing the computer mouse
This addresses productivity and health problems for computer users, but it is incremental as it builds on existing alternatives like the SmartNav device.
The paper tackles the problem of the computer mouse's drawbacks, including productivity loss and health issues like RSI, by exploring alternatives such as camera-based head tracking for cursor movement and various click emulation methods, concluding that these can increase productivity and improve health.
In a few months the computer mouse will be half-a-century-old. It is known to have many drawbacks, the main ones being: loss of productivity due to constant switching between keyboard and mouse, and health issues such as RSI. Like the keyboard, it is an unnatural human-computer interface. However the vast majority of computer users still use computer mice nowadays. In this article, we explore computer mouse alternatives. Our research shows that moving the mouse cursor can be done efficiently with camera-based head tracking system such as the SmartNav device, and mouse clicks can be emulated in many complementary ways. We believe that computer users can increase their productivity and improve their long-term health by using these alternatives.