Author Topic: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?  (Read 19114 times)

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Offline autoturk

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Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« on: Tue, 22 July 2014, 22:40:57 »
Hello Everyone,

fantastic forum! It really has helped me a) learn more about mechanical keyboards and b) start tackling some of my RSI issues. I just got a used kinesis advantage and can't wait to give it a shot!

I've become addicted to the trackpad on my macbook air, and also have a magic trackpad lying around the house from a previous purchase. When I use the trackpad on my laptop I feel completely fine, but tap to click drives me nuts so I only use the physical clicking feature. However, using the keyboard and trackpad on the macbook isn't really ergo friendly as it means i have to either throw my arms on the table or get all cramped up trying to type. I also feel less productive using a traditional mouse, so I thought that the magic trackpad could reposition my arms along with a keyboard like the kinesis so I can both be productive and comfortable.

Turns out that magic trackpad is actually really painful to use. Since it's at an angle sloping down towards your hand, your wrists tilt upwards causing discomfort. I know that you can flip the trackpad around and use it that way, but that means clicking with my index finger rather than my stronger thumb, which is also quite uncomfortable.

I was wondering if anybody had thoughts about and/or experience building a riser of sorts that would lift the feet up to make the trackpad both level and clickable? Do you think that lifting it up would exacerbate the issue (since it would then be higher than the surface of the desk?) I found this base, but it's just a few magnets and an aluminum sheet for 20 bucks and still keeps the positive angle from what I can tell: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/mac/entry/magic-connector-magic-trackpad-base

Perhaps such a "platform" would make it more comfortable? Or alternatively, it would allow it to be mounted to the middle of the kinesis without losing the ability to click?

It seems like the stupid battery compartment makes things all wonky. One could let the battery part hang from the side or the front of the desk which would make the trackpad portion low and flat with the desk, but that limits the positioning of the trackpad. It would almost be better to just cut the damn battery compartment off somehow and wire it to usb for power... Thankfully I don't have the tools to do such a thing :)

Any ideas on making an otherwise great device more ergo?


« Last Edit: Tue, 22 July 2014, 22:47:59 by autoturk »

Offline autoturk

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 22 July 2014, 23:24:18 »
(talking to myself)


Looking at this: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Magic+Trackpad+Teardown/3395

About trying to make the trackpad flat: It seems like one could take it all apart and remove the aluminum frame, leaving only the glass trackpad and the associated electronics. Soldering a power source (USB?) to the board would handle the power component, but I'm not sure how the power button plays into all of this. It almost seems like you could reglue the plastic backing and be left with a completely flat trackpad. It might look kind whacked out, but at least it'll be more comfortable?




Offline Melvang

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 22 July 2014, 23:32:58 »
If you can send me a couple pics of your track pad from the side with a ruler standing up at both ends I can see if I can come up with something.  Looks like a couple lego bricks might bring it up to very close to level.
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Offline jacobolus

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 22 July 2014, 23:55:00 »
The precise angle to tilt it to probably depends quite a bit on the relative heights of your desk and chair. But you should definitely be able to prop the near end up to tilt it to whatever angle is most comfortable. Maybe you could add some bumpons as feet, or maybe you could build a little case out of something (wood?).

Offline autoturk

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 23 July 2014, 00:00:32 »
If you can send me a couple pics of your track pad from the side with a ruler standing up at both ends I can see if I can come up with something.  Looks like a couple lego bricks might bring it up to very close to level.

I can definitely do that once I find a ruler somewhere in the house... or I'll take the pic at work tomorrow.

One thing to keep in mind is that something like a lego piece would work well, but it would need to be somehow glued on to the rubber feet without easily being flung off. It's the feet that actually depress and click.

looking more and more at the ifixit teardown thought it seems like just dremeling off the battery compartment would lead to a very flat trackpad and a quick rewiring would allow power via usb (and get rid of the need for pesky batteries). Unfortunately I don't have a dremel, nor am i sure if dremeling would give a nice clean cut... Any thoughts?

Offline autoturk

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 23 July 2014, 00:03:47 »
The precise angle to tilt it to probably depends quite a bit on the relative heights of your desk and chair. But you should definitely be able to prop the near end up to tilt it to whatever angle is most comfortable. Maybe you could add some bumpons as feet, or maybe you could build a little case out of something (wood?).

A thin wooden block and some velcro would work to be honest, but I'm worried that it might still be uncomfortable if, say, I was resting my hand on the desk and the trackpad was 3/4 inch above the height of the desk. Perhaps a gel pad would help in that regard.

Maybe i am just overthinking this...

Offline jacobolus

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 23 July 2014, 00:14:43 »
Well the better thing would be to get a split keyboard with some tenting, and put the trackpad in the middle. But that’s a bit more substantial a project. :-)

Offline microsoft windows

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 08:17:31 »
No pointing device made by Apple in the past 20 years has ever been ergonomic or practical. You need to get a better trackpad from a more reputable brand.
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Offline tp4tissue

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #8 on: Sun, 27 July 2014, 18:47:48 »
laptop and trackpad,, the 2 least ergonomic things LOLOL..

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Offline davkol

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 28 July 2014, 05:59:15 »
Mouse? lol

Offline vivalarevolución

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 28 July 2014, 15:14:51 »
I really enjoy the functionality of the Magic Trackpad, so I taped mine to the dead space in the top middle of my Kinesis Advantage.  I have a couple pictures floating around on my computer.  However, it is not the best if you want to push down on the device because it is not stable.

In the end, I sold the Trackpad because the flat surface is not ergonomic for heavy mousing.  The humans fingers are not meant to move on flat surfaces for long periods of time.  Our hands like to lightly grip stuff.
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Offline Phenix

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Re: Making the magic trackpad more ergonomic?
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 19 July 2017, 07:22:59 »
I really enjoy the functionality of the Magic Trackpad, so I taped mine to the dead space in the top middle of my Kinesis Advantage.  I have a couple pictures floating around on my computer.  However, it is not the best if you want to push down on the device because it is not stable.

In the end, I sold the Trackpad because the flat surface is not ergonomic for heavy mousing.  The humans fingers are not meant to move on flat surfaces for long periods of time.  Our hands like to lightly grip stuff.

What do you use nowadays?
I am using a ergodox, a rollermouse and a normal mouse atm.

Ordered a kinesis advantage yesterday, and was actually thinking about getting a trackpad for in the middle..
WHAT would be better than a trackpad?


I will try out my Slimblade once again, but so far I did not like trackballs that much..
Winter is coming.