Combimouse Makes Typing More Comfortable

If you find it frustrating and disruptive whenever you have to stop typing mid-sentence and reach for the mouse, this new invention may be just the thing for you. The Combimouse is an intriguing combination keyboard and mouse system that makes typing more comfortable and faster.

The idea has been around since 1999, when inventor Ari Zagnoev filed the first patent. Since then, numerous prototypes have been built, but none was found fit for commercial development. All that is set to change now, as the Combimouse is up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo, with a $20,000 goal.

The Combimouse is practically a keyboard divided in two, with the right-hand part also serving as an optical mouse. The left side has most of the QWERTY keys usually found on the left hand side of a normal keyboard, plus all the F keys and multimedia control buttons. This part is powered by two AA-sized batteries, which can last more than a year in normal usage conditions.

The right-hand side looks just like you would expect a combination of mouse and keyboard to look like. What’s very interesting about it is that the module becomes a mouse only when you grip it, thus making it virtually impossible to trigger it by mistake.

More specifically, the right hand module has a touch sensor that activates the mouse function whenever it detects your pinky finger. When you move your little finger away, the unit reverts to keyboard mode. Special technology that has not yet been detailed prevents the unit from moving while you are typing. The right side unit is powered by a single AAA-sized battery which can last up to three months.

The Combimouse communicates wirelessly with a USB gadget that you just have to plug into your computer. The manufacturers are looking to develop a Bluetooth connection in future models. The crowdfunding campaign was launched in order to build two units for independent evaluation by Curtin University. There are plans to launch a second campaign later on so as to allow manufactures to begin production and bring the innovative combination keyboard/mouse system to market.

[Image via Gadizmo]