New mouse technology employs natural movement of hands for 3D browsing

Cambridge Consultants has unveiled its second phase of mouse technology with full analogue control from all fingers and thumb. Unlike a traditional optical mouse, this new mouse technology called 'Suma mouse' makes the "click, pan, zoom, tilt" manoeuvres required when browsing 3D screens more intuitively and designed to provide natural experience. The natural hand actions such as squeezing, stroking, rotating and pressing the suma skin of the mouse will all give an individual reaction on screen.

The applications such as Google Maps and Street View can be surfed in 3D view in easier manner compared the present move and click mouse. When using a Suma enabled mouse, there are no set boundaries for how to hold it or where to place your fingers. A "Suma skin" enabled mouse can recognise how the user is holding it and wherever they have placed their fingers, making it a comfortable and natural process.

The new Suma platform can be implemented in any shape, from mouse to joystick, integrating an analogue deformation sensor within the device. The sensor network can be tuned to each application, including resolution, sensitivity and stiffness of the deformable layer and active area.

"Many existing mainstream 2D applications are now rendering in three dimensions, for example Google Street View. Yet despite this rise, consumers have been lacking an interface to elegantly navigate a three dimensional environment" said Duncan Smith, head of Consumer Product Development at Cambridge Consultants. "The second concept of Suma is equally applicable to today's technology as it is tomorrow's 3D displays. About one quarter of the motor cortex of your brain is dedicated to the muscles in your hands. No other technology captures the power of this the way Suma does."

Presently this technology is getting demonstrated at Front End of Innovation 2010 conference going on from May 3-5, 2010 at the Seaport World Trade Center Boston.