Ergonomic Mouse Key Terms

Try your hand at ergonomic mouse key terms

By Brenda Lee, Writer/Editor Beeline Editing Services

Computer mice have come a long way in the past decade or two, and keeping up with ergonomic mouse key terms is essential for supply chain specialists and anyone who wants to create a work environment with fewer repetitive motion injuries. The ergonomic mouse evolution has been driven by the need create designs that prevent (or at least lessen) the numerous hand and wrist injuries that have been linked to prolonged mouse usage.

If you're in the market for an ergonomic mouse, it's important to remember that this is a subject where one size does not fit all. The only way to really know if an ergonomic mouse is going to provide the benefits you seek is to try it for yourself. There are many styles on the market today, each with its own features and benefits. Here are some of the most popular terms associated with ergonomic mice today:

Contour mouse

The Contour mouse is one of the most popular ergonomic mice on the market today. It comes in a variety of sizes and has a rubberized grip that helps set it apart from the competition.
Try: See what a Contour mouse looks like and read the features and benefits of the design at Contour Design.

Vertical mouse

A vertical mouse is designed so that the hand rests vertically rather than horizontally on the mouse.
Try: Take a look at a popular style of vertical ergonomic mouse at Evoluent. 3M also makes a vertical mouse, which is somewhat joystick-shaped.

Foot-controlled mouse

A foot-controlled mouse, as its name implies, is controlled by feet rather than by hands.
Try: Get a feel for what a foot-controlled mouse looks like and how it functions at Fentek Industries.

Touchpad mouse

The touchpad is a rectangular mouse that performs different functions depending on where the surface of the pad is touched.
Try: Ergonomic Touchpad is best place to see, read about and view some animation to discover just how such a mouse design works.

Hands-free mouse

One type of hands-free ergonomic mouse is mounted to the computer monitor and controlled by head movements.
Try: Discover how far technology has come at NaturalPoint, which offers a hands-free, head-movement-controlled mouse called the SmartNav.

RollerMouse

The RollerMouse runs the length of the bottom of a standard keyboard and fits almost like an extension of the keyboard. It enables the user to use the mouse without reaching.
Try: There's both a classic and a pro version of the popular RollerMouse. See the classic version at Ergocube. You can find the pro version at RollerMouse Pro.