Negative slope trackball

[oneproduct]

I was curious if there's such thing, and if there isn't if there's some reason that I'm missing as to why it couldn't/shouldn't be done. To give you an idea of what I'm talking about, I made this amazing (tm) picture in paint:



Here the wrist and arm are horizontal and the natural curve of the fingers falls inwards into a groove where the trackball sits. The main buttons are operated by the thumb, the opposite site is up for debate depending on whether you want to make it ambidextrous or right-handed only.

Though I've illustrated it with a scroll wheel for the thumb, I'd prefer it even more using the Kensington Slimblade's twist-to-scroll feature.

Edit: 1000th post, woohoo!

[davkol]

I'm using a logitech trackball like that (because I have only a huge wrist rest) right now, and it doesn't feel right. Mostly due to pressure on the wrist. I suppose it'd possible to develop CTS this way.

[oneproduct]

I had actually drawn the black case dropping off right at where the wrist was original so that it wouldn't be used as a wrist rest for the kind of reason you mentioned. I then added it back under the philosophy that you can rest your wrist on it when you aren't doing anything and then just hover a bit when you are with your palm anchoring you on it.

It's the same kind of idea with keyboard wrist rests. They're okay so long as you're only using them while actually resting, not when typing.

[davkol]

My experience is that wrist rests never feel right except when used for resting *palms*. I'd chop the hand rest in the place where thumb starts.

[oneproduct]

I can agree to that. Here's a quick fix then.

[davkol]

And one more thing. I guess I don't move the ball with my fingertips, but rather whole fingers, so it'd be closer to the palm. That's a matter of personal preference though.

[oneproduct]

Yea, I actually had the ball further than I intended in the picture, but it was too hard to change haha. I usually use the distal interphalangeal (had to look up it's name now, it's at the top right of this picture) and the parts a little north and south of it.

[daerid]

I approve of this idea.

[noxwood]

http://store.ergoguys.com/itacev.html

[oneproduct]

No, not quite noxwood. The palm section is still lower down than the ball leaving the wrist bent upward.

[noxwood]

Whoops, thought the hump was higher than that.

[guilleguillaume]

Take for granted that it won't be Logitech the one who produce something like that...and the same has to apply to Microsoft )

They like to lose customers by ignoring the actual demand for their old trackballs and now some people are taking those japanese trackballs branded Sanwa.

[0100010]

I think such a design would be very dependent on the users arm height compared to desk height.  I use my KB all day w/o a wrist wrest, while my trackball (Kensington Orbit w/ScrollRing) I use the included wrist wrest so it is comfortable.

[Milquetoast]

Kensington made a device called the TurboBall that was along these lines. I found it really comfortable, but it had some flaws as well. Perhaps that's why it was discontinued years ago. I'd love to see an update to it, with an optical trackball and a few other changes.

I'll bet you can buy one on eBay, if you're curious, but like I said, it had flaws.

[daerid]

The closest to the Turbo Ball is the Orbit. But apparently they're terrible.

[tramusen]

The closest to the Turbo Ball is the Orbit. But apparently they're terrible.

Plenty of people seem to love Kensington when it comes to trackballs.  I don't really get it.  Better than Logitech, sure, but making a better trackball than Logitech doesn't take very much.  If my two MS Trackball Explorers both die on me, I may have to stop using a pointing device entirely.

[daerid]

Such a shame they stopped manufacturing those.