We all go through phases where we feel like we’ve seen every possible Kickstarter project that we’d ever want and then one like Mycestro comes along and reminds us that this is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s a 3D mouse that you strap to one of your fingers and it looks like it could become a huge asset for multi-tasking.
If you think about how you use your computer, be it a desktop or laptop, you know that your hands move from the keyboard to the trackpad or mouse constantly, over and over again. It’s wasted movement for the most part, especially when you see the possibilities that Mycestro unlocks. The only thing left is for this thing to get funded, because it looks like all of the prototypes work perfectly.
Its founder and creator, Nick Mastandrea, has been tinkering on this project for quite a while, having been featured in Engadget a few years ago, but it looks like it’s ready for primetime. You’ll be able to pick one up for a $79 pledge in white, or $99 with your choice of color. The estimated shipping date is sometime in October of this year, if all goes well.
Have a look at some of its features, which include touch buttons that allow you to navigate your computer without the need of moving your entire and to a dedicated area on a computer, thanks to 3D technology and space recognition:
Here are the specs for the 3D Mouse:
- Size of a wireless earpiece.
- Light, weighing next to nothing.
- Internal battery can be charged via USB.
- Battery life is estimated to be eight hours depending on usage.
- Two different replaceable clip sizes.
This isn’t a completely perfect situation though, as you’ll have to re-learn how to use a mouse. The other thing is that if you’re in a coffee shop or somewhere in public, people are going to look at you like you have some issues. The thing is called the Mycestro for a reason, it looks like you’re conducting your own private orchestra. In other words, you’re going to look weird. If you’re OK with that, then the benefits outweigh the public shame and looks you might receive.
The device works from 30 feet away from your computer, thanks to bluetooth, so you could use this for presentations at work. The touch technology it has reminds me of Google’s Project Glass, which allows you to tap a panel on the side of the wearable device to make things happen, like a mouse or trackpad. The other plus is that it’ll work with any iPad or iPhone with Android support coming by the end of the year. This could be a nice way to have a lean-back experience with a tablet, or do the driving while someone else holds it.
Check out this demo using it with an Internet-enabled TV:
It reminds me of the Xbox Kinect a little bit, but it’s in your hand and requires no setup.
With 38 days left to go on its Kickstarter campaign, Nick Mastandrea and his team has raised $39,735 out of $100,000. I think if people can look past the Mycestro as a curious oddity and understand how this could make them more efficient on the computer, this thing will get funded, and then some.
So who cares if people think you’re making hand gestures into thin air to nobody in particular, aren’t people who use bluetooth headsets already weird? Exactly.
