Tag Archives: ergonomic

Lexip Np93 mouse makes your thumb more useful by giving it a joystick

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At long last, your thumb will finally be able to earn its keep on a mouse and give gamers a slight advantage over their rivals, at least until they find out about this mouse.

Despite being one of the most-used input devices for computers, the mouse hasn’t changed drastically in the past decades. It has kept the same basic shape, which is now regarded to be non-ergonomic by default, and it pretty much relies on one finger and one finger only. That means that most of your other fingers are left unused and underutilized, but one mouse will try to give at least your thumb an exercise, hopefully to your advantage.

Designer: Pixminds

Apple was probably onto something when it decided that its first-party mice would have only one button. Even with two buttons and a mouse wheel that also functions as a third button, only the index and middle fingers really ever get used. Of course, that does mean that even Apple’s mouse puts all the responsibility and stress on one or two fingers, leaving the rest to just lie around. There are, of course, computer mice with extra buttons at the side, but one company is taking that idea to the next level.

Pixminds designed the Lexip Np93 Alpha to add more input options for gamers and give the thumb something to do beyond pressing buttons. A thumb joystick that can move in two axes provides more actions than even the most button-laden gaming mouse can provide, especially since this one still has extra buttons to boot. The company boasts 12 programmable buttons, which is no small matter considering how complicated modern games have become these days.

That thumbstick isn’t the only advantage the Lexip Np93 Alpha has, however. The mouse is also designed to offer comfort beyond what typical gaming mice can. In particular, the mouse comes with six ceramic feet to let it glide smoothly on any surface, and weight adjusters let users tweak the mouse’s weight to their preference. The mouse is also noted to use soft coating, oil painting, and doubly-injected rubber that adds both tactile comfort as well as aesthetic appeal.

The Lexip Np93 Alpha also has the customary RGB lighting that you can configure through the mouse’s accompanying software. Considering the flexibility and comfort it offers, it’s also surprising that it isn’t asking that much as far as its $40 selling price is concerned.

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This gamepad concept ditches conventions to bring comfort to your A-game

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Many gamers complain about the inconsistent button layouts of game controllers, but one thing that has remained the same is the basic design players have learned to live with even if they don’t like it.

Gamepads have been around since the earliest days of video game home consoles, and they have changed little, but at the same time, have evolved significantly over the decades. For the past years, however, the basic shape of game controllers has changed little, even with all the research into ergonomics and professional gaming. Designers, however, are always coming up with ways to push the envelope, and one idea, in particular, pretty much changes almost everything about gamepads.

Designer: TongZheng

As controllers have evolved, gamers’ habits have grown along with them. Some games have started to require more interaction, requiring the addition of more buttons. More buttons, however, means changing the way you efficiently and comfortably hold a gamepad, leading to the birth of what is now called the “C-Hand” grip.

This C-Hand allows gamers to utilize almost all their fingers to push all available buttons and joysticks on a gamepad. Unfortunately, the current designs used by almost all controllers aren’t exactly conducive to this kind of grip. The “wingtips” of the controller that make it easier to hold the controller “normally” get in the way, and the constant switching between buttons and joysticks is a recipe for disaster for thumbs.

The C-Gamepad concept was born from the need for a controller that’s designed from the ground up specifically for this popular hand position, especially with its spherical shape and small protrusions for stability. This design, however, also moves some of the buttons around in order to reduce the number of thumb-switching gamers have to do. The biggest change, however, is the joysticks which are transformed into balls and lose the “stick” part.

Unlike regular joysticks, however, only the right side is able to move in four directions to adjust the view, while the left “joystick” is locked to moving characters forward or backward only. While this covers most actions within a game, it might leave other common movements out, like strafing to the sides. The biggest drawback to this new controller design, however, is the lack of familiarity with existing gamepads, but it might be a learning process gamers would be willing to go through if it means getting an edge over the competition.

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Logitech’s spaceship-like mouse concept is designed to save your wrist

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There is no shortage of ergonomic computer mice that claim to deliver the most painless experience, but this concept turns the solution on its head and transforms the mouse into something completely different.

With the advent and prevalence of laptops and their trackpads, computer mice have mostly been pushed to the background. There are, however, scenarios where the completely flat and smooth surfaces of these trackpads are not only impractical but almost unusable, like with games. Regardless of the reasons, computer mice haven’t completely vanished from the market, but neither have they evolved significantly. They are still an ever-present risk to our wrists, and designers have repeatedly gone back to the drawing board to concoct the most ergonomic mouse around. For one designer, the answer ironically turned out to be quite different from a mouse.

Designer: Jason Wang

Although they have become the essential ways we interact with computers, the keyboard and the mouse are not the healthiest methods for our hands and wrists. Repetitive strain injury and carpal tunnel syndrome can be crippling for today’s generation whose lives and work depend on computers. There have been quite a few ergonomic mice designs available today, including the Lunar Artefacts Pointer Instrument that we reviewed recently, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

Designer Jason Wong went back to the drawing board to reimagine what an ergonomic mouse would look and feel like without being limited to the traditional concept of a mouse. He started out with something that looked a lot like many ergonomic mice, with cutouts and flaps for supporting the fingers. From there, however, things took on a rather strange turn that led to something that is both from the past and the future.

After testing out what looks like a mouse on a stand, Wong ended up with what he describes as a vertical mouse joystick design. Unlike a typical joystick, which predates the mouse, the person won’t need to keep a grip on the device and simply lay their hand on the supporting structure. There is even wrist support to help keep your arm from getting strained while in the position.

While the alien-like form gives the hand and wrist some structural support, the materials that Wang chose are meant to offer both comfort and visual identity. A fabric mesh covers the hand and wrist support surface for comfort, while rubber coating offers a better grip. There are shifts in material from metal to plastic to create a visual break, though that, unfortunately, does imply the use of some unsustainable materials.

This concept, which the designer dubs the Logitech MX K01, is truly unorthodox in its appearance and design. Its ergonomics try to use the natural vertical position of the hand to avoid straining the wrist, while the flowing lines of the structure provide not only points of visual interest but also ergonomic support for the hand. That said, it’s a concept that probably needs proper clinical testing to verify its ergonomic value, though, at this point, it can hardly be called a mouse anymore.

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This laptop desk is cushioned, has storage space & makes working from couch more ergonomic!

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Let’s be real – we spend a lot of time in the day figuring out the most comfortable work-from-home position because the bed is where we start slouching into a nap and the desk is too upright. Tony Heap was going through a similar problem and after making a makeshift laptop desk that let him work from his couch, he made it even better by adding in storage and taking care of ergonomics. Heap, really heard our cries for a comfortable laptop desk and that’s how LAPOD (laptop desk + storage pod) was born!

Whether you’re a digital nomad or a remote worker, LAPOD allows you to easily and comfortably work from anywhere. The lap desk holds all accessories such as chargers, cables, portable drives, without adding clutter to your ouch or side tables. The storage pod is also cushioned to make it comfortable when it is on your lap. No more balancing your laptop on your knee, battery indicator flashing, juggling charger, and plug while searching your bag for your earbuds to take that incoming video call!

The gentle sweeping ergonomic shape is the result of a carefully considered form designed to fit you just as well as fit your things. Raising your work up off your lap reduces wrist angle and neck-craning. “Ergonomically, we work in a multitude of different positions: sitting upright or reclined, knees together or spread, maybe one leg over the other, or sitting cross-legged yogi-style in the lotus position. To add to this, we aren’t really designed to stay sitting still, so it’s often a combination of all of the above in some sort of human posture shuffle,” adds Heap.

Single-handedly access whatever you have inside the storage pod without disturbing whatever you have on top of your desk. Need to plug into portable drives or power packs? LAPOD’s simple cable routing slot has you covered. It also features a cutaway slot in the work surface that allows you to run cables or charge batteries without navigating a ‘spaghetti junction’ at your feet or losing any valuable desk space.

Heap believes that balancing the often diverging properties is key to great material selection and development. LAPOD’s storage pod is made from high-quality rigid P.E.T. felt as it is super durable while being tactile and aesthetically pleasing. The desk is slim, lightweight, resilient, and completely hand washable. This lap desk is currently topping our list of work-from-home essentials!

Click here to shop!

Designer: Tony Heap

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Apple’s Magic Mouse gets its biggest ‘design upgrade’ with this ergonomic, wireless charging concept

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The design upgrade makes Apple’s Magic Mouse more comfortable to use, and also gives it a new, highly-needed feature in the form of a wireless charging mousepad!

Created by designer Kevin Clarridge who spent a good 3 months just reviewing the shapes and forms of various ergonomic mice, the Apple Magic Mushroom Mouse (I honestly just love the name) fixes two of the most nagging problems with the mouse’s current design – firstly, the horrendously ill-designed charging system, and secondly, its poor ergonomics. With an elongated wrist-support, and a base that allows you to wirelessly charge the mouse, the Magic Mushroom Mouse positions itself as the ‘Pro’ in the mouse category. After all, the iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and AirPods have Pro variants, so why not the mouse??

“The Magic Mouse has some amazing touch capabilities, but never felt great in the hand, especially if used daily”, said Clarridge who began working on analyzing mouse forms back in September. After hundreds of iterations in the form of CAD models and even a few 1:1 scale test prototypes (you can see the entire process here), Clarridge arrived at the mouse’s ‘mushroom’ form, which he claims offers a solution that no other mouse offers… an elongated wrist support that’s molded from a flexible elastomer that bends to contour to the wrist’s shape, giving you comfort over extended use. The mushroom inspiration also carries forward in the ‘gill-shaped’ details running around the base of the mouse, designed to allow the rim to flex according to the shape of your hand’s contours. The upper part of the mouse, however, retains the extended multi-touch panel that makes the Magic Mouse such a wonderful work-horse.

Clarridge’s design also fixes one of the biggest flaws in Apple’s entire product line (and sort of a lasting detail in Jony Ive’s legacy of odd design decisions)… its charging system. The current Magic Mouse remains infamous for having a charging port located on its base, making it absolutely useless when you need to plug a wire into its underbelly to charge it. The Magic Mushroom Mouse, however, provides the perfect solution in the form of an elegant wireless charging pad that snaps to the base of the mouse using Apple’s MagSafe tech. You can’t really use the mouse while it’s on the charging pad (because the pad doesn’t have the laser tracking system to track cursor movement), but the idea is that the pad serves as a place to rest the mouse when not in use… basically turning dormant time into charging time, so you never really have to worry about ever running out of charge. Cleverly enough, when the charging pad is sitting idle (while you’re using your mouse), you can just use it as a wireless charger for your iPhone or AirPods! Talk about two birds with one stone?!

The Magic Mushroom Mouse exists as just a concept for now, although Clarridge is determined on testing out and validating his design with 3D printed prototypes and even some made out of flexible resin. You can follow his journey and process on his Instagram page and collectively wish and pray that Apple finally fixes its most ill-conceived design decision since #bendgate…

Designer: Kevin Clarridge

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Joseph Joseph’s reusable water bottle focuses on making the lid as important as the bottle itself

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Loop is a reusable water bottle with an innovative lid design and shapely build, allowing users to slide Loop’s lid over its spout for easy drinking even when your hands are full.

Reusable water bottles have become the modern handbag. Everywhere you go, you’ll find someone clutching one by its lid strap. When a product becomes so popular, innovative design becomes a rarity. Following research periods spent observing the ways people interact with their own reusable and single-use water bottles, London-based design studio Blond Ltd. collaborated with Joseph Joseph to create Loop, a reusable EDC water bottle designed to simplify carrying the lid while taking a drink.

In central London, the designers at Blond Ltd. and Joseph Joseph observed the different ways that people used and handled their water bottles to design an ergonomic and shapely reusable water bottle. When we’re carrying all of our stuff in addition to our water bottle, drinking from it can feel like juggling. Noticing that people have a harder time removing the water bottle’s lid and holding it while they drink, the designers made Loop so that users can slide the lid over the bottle’s neck when taking a drink.

The shape of Loop’s neck was specially designed to double as a storage method for the water bottle’s lid, providing a convenient and sanitary place to carry the cap. Expanding on the design of the Loop, the designers note, “The inside of the loop is gently curved and is an identical match to the bottle’s contours; allowing a tight friction-fit that prevents it from sliding while the user is drinking. Further, the lid doubles up as a convenient carry handle and attachment-point for hanging from bags.”

Double-walled with insulation and made from vacuum-sealed steel, Loop will keep your drinks at your preferred temperature in a durable, long-lasting bottle. An internal screw thread located on Loop’s spout ensures a clean and hygienic drinking surface near the outer face. Additionally, Loop was designed with a wide enough neck to allow room for ice cubes.

Designers: Blond Ltd. x Joseph Joseph

With its loop lid, users can carry Loop with even just one finger. 

Loop’s shapely build is functional and visually appealing. 

The open lid strap allows users to attach it to their backpacks with carabiners. 

Loop can hold up to 500ml of hot or cold liquid. 

These portable medical devices are designed be a completely incognito health monitoring setup

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Lunit is a collection of portable medical devices designed to be inconspicuous for comfortable use in public settings.

Portable medical devices are trusted by those of us with health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Recontextualizing the portable medical device to be more accessible and tactful, designers Dayeon Jang and Sungchae Park created Lunit, a collection of portable medical devices designed for use in public settings.

Lunit is comprised of four medical devices: an inhaler, blood glucose meter, insulin syringe, and a blood pressure oximeter. Jang and Park took on the portable medical device because they noticed a lack of ergonomics and comfort in the antiquated medical devices still on the market today. Each device of Lunit is inspired by the dark side of the moon to be inconspicuous at first glance, laced in smoky black and gray tones and wrapped in translucent coverings reminiscent of evening mist.

Lunit’s inhaler comes in the same familiar shape as traditional inhalers, but a tubelike build with rounded corners and edges gives it a smoother grip and more ergonomic handling shape. The translucent coverings on both ends of the inhaler also work to give it a more obscure look.

Jang and Park reinterpreted the blood glucose meter as a household product that could be taken on the go as easily as the inhaler. The insulin syringe also finds a bit of obscurity through translucent, foggy coverings that conceal the full function of the syringe, giving it a design as discreet as a pen’s. Finally, the blood pressure oximeter is small enough to fit inside your breast or back pocket and comes with all the functions of a traditional oximeter.

Designed to fit inside your pocket, portable medical devices like inhalers and insulin syringes allow users to take care of restricted airways and high blood sugar levels from anywhere, but sometimes the device’s aesthetic design is less user-friendly than their portability. In prioritizing a discreet look for Lunit, the designers hoped to dampen the staring eyes and stigma typically associated with portable medical devices.

Speaking to this, the designers suggest, “When using medical devices outside, users can [become] nervous or uncomfortable because they are worried about what people think about them or their actions. We want to solve [this] through design so that users with underlying diseases can no longer hide and take care of their health with confidence.”

Designers: Sungchae Park and Dayeon Jang

The ribbed, translucent covering of Lunit’s insulin syringe gives it inconspicuous concealment.

When covered, the insulting syringe from Lunit looks like a pen. 

The blood pressure oximeters are adorned with yellow dots similar to a starry night.

Small enough to fit into any pocket, Lunit’s oximeter can be taken anywhere.

The household blood glucose meter looks just like a portable radio.

Equipped with their own carrying case, each device from Lunit is designed to make taking care of yourself look as good as it feels.

Made from silver and metal alloy, this ergonomic pen surpasses the regular wooden pencil with its ink-less design!

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Inspired by ancient writing instruments, ZAI is an inkless pen with a silver point composed of a metal alloy and silver designed by a team at BAH International that hopes to cut the cost burden and environmental impact of conventional wooden pencil production.

Few things are more exciting than unique stationery designs–even fewer are more exciting than an inkless pen. In use since ancient times, silverpoint pens, whose cores are constructed from silver and alloy, have been trusted by scribes, illustrators, and architects alike. Merging its traditional use with a modern, ergonomic build, ZAI is an inkless pen designed by a team at BAH International Co. that aims to reduce the conventional pencil’s cost burden and environmental impact.

The designers at BAH International created the ZAI Pencil to last a lifetime. Even following consistent wear and tear, the silverpoint of ZAI remains sharp with each use. Since a lot of wood is needed to construct conventional wooden pencils, the designers at BAH International hope to reduce the environmental impact of pencil production with ZAI.

Carrying a silverpoint composed of a silver and alloy mixture, users can choose between a colorful aluminum barrel or a rustic wooden one, the only difference being that ZAI’s aluminum barrel is slightly shorter. Compared to conventional wooden pencils and ink pens, ZAI writes and feels just the same for a familiar tactile experience.

Additionally, ZAI only draws and writes on paper surfaces, so it will not bleed through clothes or leak onto your palms while writing. Waterproof by design, ZAI is built for extreme conditions where writing and drawing with traditional instruments might not work.

Reaching a maximum height between 100 and 112mm, ZAI is portable for even the smallest of pockets and features a round barrel for an ergonomic grip. Users can also easily adjust the contrast of ZAI’s imprint by pressing down harder or softer on the piece of paper to reach a writing pressure similar to that of a 2B pencil.

Designer: BAH International Co.

Depending on the pressure applied, like any pen, the contrast of ZAI’s ‘ink’ flow will vary.

Made from silver and alloy metal, ZAI is waterproof by design. 

Users have the choice between a wooden barrel and an aluminum one, the only difference being that the aluminum barrel is slightly shorter.

ZAI pens only write on paper, so they will never bleed through your clothes.

Designed to last a lifetime, ZAI was created to replace wooden pencils.

Silverpoint pens have been trusted by illustrators, painters, architects, and scribes for centuries.

When put on paper, the ‘ink’ of ZAI is waterproof so, rest assured, spills can happen.

These claw-inspired EDC folding knives use an Emerson Wave deployment method for safe and precise movements!

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There are some pretty hardcore EDC multipurpose tools on the market. From plier-based to knife-based tools, they’re trusted across industry lines for their ergonomic build and long-lasting reputation. With so many multi-use tools out there, the nitty-gritty, technical details are what set some tools above others. Edging out fixed knives for folding ones, the world’s leading e-commerce site for karambit tactical knives, Karambit.com, features a whole collection of portable multiuse tools with curved blades that fold down so you can bring them anywhere.

Originally built for farming, multiuse tools are currently used for utility, self-defense, and combat purposes. Knives that use folding and Emerson Wave deployment methods are easy to carry around safely and provide a lot more accuracy during use. As described on their site, Karambit co-owners Phillip Koontz and William Simkins say, “Emerson Wave Karambits feature a patented wave-shaped opening mechanism that allows a karambit to open instantly as it’s removed from the pocket.”

On Karambit.com, the standout Emerson Wave knives come shining with a curved blade for clean slashing through dense material. Finished in Black Idroglider and made from stainless steel, the Emerson Wave karambit blade is constructed for the long haul. While Emerson Wave knife deployment offers convenience and efficiency, it also promotes user safety, ensuring that while the karambit is inside the pocket, the knife will not dislodge.

Built using some of the strongest stainless steel available, many of the Emerson Wave deployment tools are constructed in Italy from NC690Co Stainless Steel. The Emerson Wave karambit collection also features knives that come fitted with safety finger rings and ergonomic handles for intuitive operation. Available for reverse and forward grip, the black G10 scales on each tool’s grip make handling each knife a lot safer and enhances the knife’s overall precision rating.

Designer: Karambit.com

Traditional charm meets a modern steel edge with Karambit’s Emerson Wave multi-use tools.

An added safety ring enhances the knife’s safety features and makes it easy to clip on and carry.

Laden in black G10 scales, the grip is ergonomic to promote convenience and precision.

The Emerson Wave deployment knife explained. 

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This ergonomic washing machine design helps save our oceans by filtering out microplastics!

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Martina Mancini’s Ocean washing system is as sustainable as it is ergonomic, with special filters that recycle out microplastics and hidden adaptive features for intuitive and accessible operation.

Each time we wash a load of laundry, microfibers detach from our favorite polyester and acrylic clothes and end up in wastewater. Contributing close to 35% of the microplastics found in our oceans, washing machines are due for a sustainability cleanup. Designer Martina Mancini was recently recognized by The James Dyson Award for her work in developing an ergonomic washing machine called Ocean that filters out microplastics and recirculates the water used between cycles.

With Ocean, Mancini set out to develop a washing machine that’s friendly to the environment and ergonomic for most users. The Ocean is designed like preexisting washing machines, equipped with a basket, drum, and display control panel, to ensure familiarity during use. Once the clothes are placed inside Ocean’s drum and basket, users can start their wash cycle by selecting one on the machine’s front display panel. From there, water flows into the drum from a centrifugal pump that’s connected to a purification filter to prepare the water for recirculation once the cycle is complete.

The post-cycle water purification process first passes through a stainless steel sieve grid and then a polyester filter sponge to remove larger microplastics. Following that, the water surges into a pipe that’s connected to the machine’s centrifugal pump, which propels the water against a hollow fiber membrane through a tangential filtration process. Once the filtration process makes its rounds, the water is purified by an Ozonator before recirculating for future use. Ensuring that Ocean is as ergonomic as it is sustainable, Mancini designed the washing machine so that users can remove the machine’s filters on their own before obtaining a new one from an offsite factory. There, company workers will remove and recycle the microplastics to give them a new life.

Given that the hardware required to construct Ocean would be bulky, Mancini knew the washing machine would reach a higher height than those already on the market. Working with a bigger machine allowed Mancini to incorporate more ergonomic features, including an adjustable table located beneath the drum, where users can prepare their laundry before and following washing cycles.

Designer: Martina Mancini