Better ergonomics and efficiency at your CAD workstation

THE 3D MOUSE ALLEVIATES ONE-SIDED WRIST STRAIN

A ‘normal’ computer mouse is an important part of any CAD workstation. It is light, compact and easy to operate. However, it poses one major disadvantage from an ergonomic point of view, in that you always have to operate it using the same hand. When a mouse is used intensively with repetitive patterns of movement, this can result in pain and functional impairments, also known as RSI syndrome or ‘mouse arm’.

Using a 3D mouse can prevent these symptoms, while making your CAD workflow considerably more efficient and healthier. This was proven by an experiment carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO).

You always use the same finger to click or operate the mouse wheel when using a conventional mouse. A 3D mouse takes on the tasks that you previously carried out with your dominant hand. The strain is spread across both hands, rather than just being focused on one. This reduces finger movements by 28.6 per cent.
Strain on your hand musculature falls from a dangerous level of over 1,800 movements per hour to an acceptable level of 1,336 movements per hour.

Ergonomically healthy sitting posture

Working with two hands – with a 3D mouse in your left hand and a conventional mouse in your right hand – helps you to maintain an upright posture while seated. Both arms lie on the desk in parallel. The ergonomically shaped hand rest of the 3D mouse also ensures that your wrist remains straight. After a short period of getting used to this way of working, your hand will enjoy a comfortable and cramp-free position. This prevents you from having to overly contort your hand or arm.

Up to 28 per cent higher productivity

Excessive strain on one side of the body is a symptom suffered by many CAD users, who put one-sided stress on their hand and arm musculature by carrying out repetitive movements. Using a 3D mouse greatly reduces the need to switch between your mouse and keyboard. Freely configurable shortcuts and keyboard switches relieve your hand and arm, while also increasing your performance by up to 28 per cent^*. The tactile shape of the buttons makes the mouse intuitive to use, with minimum finger strain.

Intuitive and user-friendly

3D navigation using a SpaceMouse Enterprise is an outstanding experience, as it facilitates particularly intuitive and user-friendly workflows in professional environments. This was confirmed in the Fraunhofer study, which determined a SUS value* of 86.3 for the 3D mouse. A normal mouse and keyboard setup merely offers a satisfactory degree of user-friendliness (SUS value: 62.3).

> Learn more about the SpaceMouse Enterprise

^*The System Usability Scale (SUS) is a ‘quick and dirty’ method of measuring the usability of an application. The SUS scale goes from 0 to 100. Solutions with a score of 68 and above are considered to have at least good usability.