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A comfortable, ergonomic mouse is a must-have for hardcore and professional gamers, as well as a vital tool for workers and creatives that spend hours at the computer. Enter Formify – a company that is taking the well-known form factor to the next level with their 3D-printed mice, customized to fit each individual’s hand.
To get one of these mice, you have to start by sending a picture of your hand, fingers slightly spread, to the company. This image is analyzed using artificial intelligence, to observe the shape, size, finger width and length of your hand. This data is then put to use in forming and creating the mouse – the process involving HP’s Multi-Jet Fusion (MJF) technology, which is based on thin layers of resin powder that are then heated, in order to build the shape. On top of that, customers can pick out five different textures for the mouse grip.
The specs are a jaw-dropper too – the mouse comes with Kailh GM 8.0 micro switches, a 26,000 DPI optical sensor and a remarkable tracking speed of 650 inches per second, with a charge that lasts up to two weeks. This puts it at close to, if not above some of the biggest players on the market, such as Razer, SteelSeries and Logitech.
To fund their ambitious project, Formify have launched a campaign on Kickstarter and are aiming for a $30,000 goal in about 32 days. As of writing, the project is nearing $9,000 in funds. Interested buyers can get their mouse as low as $142, with the expected delivery time of December 2023.
If it does happen to be successful and take off, this could make for such a useful asset for anyone that has disabilities or special needs regarding a mouse. It would be in line with what Microsoft and Sony are doing too – the producers have already launched adaptive controllers and a PS5 version which can be made to fit the user.
However, what often gets overlooked is the amount of lefties out there. If Formify’s project pays off, it could be a huge deal for them, offering the same comfort, grip and style of a conventional mouse, all at a price similar to other ergonomically superior gaming and productivity mice – but specifically designed for left-handers.
As it stands, Formify’s custom mouse has a promising future and could be an extremely useful tool for its buyers. It will remain to be seen if the project secures its goal, so the results are still a few months away.