In the constantly changing world of personal computing, very few things have remained the same--except the mouse, which has received mostly tracking and ergonomic refinements. Developers at Immersion Technologies, however, have finally rolled out a technology that adds a new dimension to the humble mouse.
After sight and sound, touch is our most important sense. For the developers at Immersion, transferring a sense of touch to the Internet was only a matter of time; the problem was getting it done in such a way that the souped-up mouse would cost less than $100. The resulting technology is an electromechanical feat that translates digital information into physical sensation, so you can feel what's on-screen using the mouse.
The secret behind this newest foray into replicated sensory input is force feedback, a mechanism commonly associated with gaming joysticks and other peripherals and meant to provide a more realistic experience for game enthusiasts.
What drives Immersion's TouchSense technology is a tiny motor, using magnetic actuators and sensors together with Immersion's microprocessor and software. Each sensation has been translated into specific mathematical equations that the microprocessor rapidly transforms to simulate a multitude of sensations. You may feel resistance when dragging a window, or liquids, textures, vibrations, and springs as your cursor passes over icons, buttons, and menus.
Logitech is the first company to release these touchy feely mice in Australia. You can choose from the iFeel MouseMan mouse or its smaller sibling, the iFeel Mouse. Both are optical wheel mice powered by Logitech's MouseWare software, and both give users the ability to "feel" elements within all Windows applications and on the Internet.
iFeel MouseMan
Price:AU$139
iFeel Mouse
Price:AU$99
Product Information:Logitech
Ph: 02 9972 3711
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