Mouse

Background

I exist to create designs that challenge the “norm”. The mouse that I have made is for a competition with Keyshot and Stratasys on Grabcad. Most of the designs there are simply external renderings, but I decided to go all the way with this design. I created this mouse as a long, narrow, and slim mouse. It is much different compared to most gaming mice, however I think this aesthetic combines with many of the new mechanical keyboards on the market. “Gaming” as an aesthetic has changed completely over the past few years, and has grown up with the market. This project challenges what a normal gaming mouse would look like in the future. On top of all of this, the mouse has a fan to keep your hands cool.

Please note the design choices made. This mouse is meant to be flat so you do not rest your hand on the mouse. It is meant to be flat so you can grip the mouse with your fingertips. This allows space for the fans to act on the hands. To add to this, the side buttons are placed for a right hand user to use their pinky for the side buttons. I think the placement for this is much easier to use than standard thumb buttons.

The Challenge

For this work in progress, I am challenging finishing up a full design for a mouse.

My Role

I have created and assembled every component in this device with care as to my imagination.

Process

On February 8th I was laid off from my job. Oh well. Can’t stop me from doing what I love! For this design I have spent the past couple of weeks really focusing on what I would want my dream mouse to look like. The overall form-factor of this mouse has been controversial to say the least. I love its dimensions, 2” x 6” x 1”. I know it seems quite narrow, but after using my mouse for a long time, I’ve realized that there’s no real reason to make the mouse that wide. On top of this, I went with the classic ambidextrous design. Also to note, the mouse wheel is placed between a fishtail sort of design. Maybe I could name this mouse the icefish? Underneath the rear vent, you will find a small 1” fan placed at 30 degrees to ensure cool hands while playing Counter Strike. Nothing destroys your performance like wet hands, trust me. I will admit, on the interior of the mouse I have gotten away with a lot of strange internal radii. The reason why I have these is because it is for a 3D printing and design competition. With this I can get away with manufacturing methods that would simply not work on a CNC machine. After all, it’s the future right?

Final Outcomes

All in all, this has been a fun project to work on. It is interesting learning more about design considerations in mice. There’s a whole fascinating world in engineering related to consumer products, and specifically gaming mice. I can’t wait to see if I place well in the competition.