This Company Will 3D-Print Your Hand's Ideal Mouse for $142

Assuming it’s already got an ergonomic enough design, like most modern offerings, you probably don’t give much thought to your computer mouse. But to others, like professional gamers, the size, shape, and performance of a mouse can help or hinder their job, so a Toronto-based company called Formify has come up with a way to create custom mice that are tailored to perfectly fit to every user’s unique hand.

If you’re willing to spend a few extra bucks instead of just grabbing the cheapest option at Best Buy, you can already find high-end mice that offer some degree of customizability: whether it’s adjusting the mouse’s weight, swapping in buttons that offer a different tactile response, fine-tuning its speed and response through software settings, or even changing its physical shape with swappable body panels.

What Formify is instead proposing is a mouse that, right out of the box, perfectly matches the shape and contour of every single user’s hand, without the company ever actually having to scan, measure, or even see it in person. Reminiscent of Dr. Scholl’s custom 3D-printed shoe inserts from a few years ago that were created using photos of a user’s feet, Formify claims that users only need to submit a photo of their mouse-using hand, palm side up, with the fingers outstretched, and from there its “machine learning algorithms will then analyze the picture of your hand, taking into account factors such as finger length, width, and hand size to identify the optimal design for your performance mouse.”

3d printed mouse

Image: Formify

Formify relies on HP’s Multi-Jet Fusion (MJF) technology to 3D print the custom mice, using a process where a thin layer of resin powder is treated with an adhesive from an inkjet and then fused together using heat to create layer after layer in an additive manufacturing process. The resulting parts have a slightly rough texture to them, but lack the telltale layered striations that come from extrusion-based 3D printers. Users also have their choice of one of five different grip textures added during the printing process.

3d printed mice

Image: Formify

But function is just as important as form when it comes to a high-end performance mouse, so on the hardware side of things, Formify is using Kailh GM 8.0 micro switches under the buttons, a 26,000 DPI optical sensor with a tracking speed of 650 inches per second, and a rechargeable battery good for over two weeks of use. The overall weight of the mouse is estimated to be around 55 grams on average, although that will vary based on the size of each user’s hand.

Formify has taken the crowdfunding route to help bring its custom mice to market, with a Kickstarter campaign looking to raise just shy of $30,000 with a little over a month to go. The limited “Super Early Bird” pricing has the Formify Mouse going for about $142, with full pricing expected to be closer to $179 when it’s eventually available to a wider audience after it ships out to backers in December.

But as with any crowdfunded product, and especially those involving electronics and custom manufacturing, you’ll want to take that estimated delivery date with a healthy grain of salt. Unforeseen delays could pop up as the company moves towards the manufacturing process (assuming the Kickstarter is a success) so don’t be surprised or enraged if you don’t end up getting yours until 2024, or later, or never. It’s, unfortunately, happened before.

@Jason I wonder if they are going to scale up to include trackball models? :thinking: :thinking:

Interesting thought, Trackballs are getting harder to find when I wear mine out, To the point I have a NIB spare at home now just in case.

I do a lot of Gaming and Design work, Both work better for me using a trackball, Its funny cause a lot of people cannot figure out how they work, :slight_smile:

I was introduced to the trackball by a professional draftsman at my work as i was doing a large amount of drafting. Now I feel off when i try to use a regular mouse.
(yes it did take me a while to get used to the trackball when i first got it

Looks very interesting,

I wonder what the final weight of the mouse is, this seems like a good way to make really light mice that are actually decent to use.

LOl, I got hooked on them when I was doing a lot of Tom Clancy/Rainbow 6 FPS games, I used to love long-range sniping. (yes I was that guy) CQB was best with a handgun, the Same accuracy but I got hooked on Trackballs and never looked back

I started using a trackball when I was short on space in my last job and got to love it. Now I feel weird using a normal mouse, although, one completely customized to the shape of my hand is quite intriguing… :thinking::thinking:

:computer_mouse:

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Do we have to send our hand to them to model for this.

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:woman_shrugging: they say we just need to send in a picture??

Haha,

I have always been the sniper at the back of the team, although my game of choice is BFV. I have never though of using a trackball mouse before though. Maybe something to try out :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp:

loose nut this whole start up is going to cost an arm and a leg…

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First they wanted a hand and now they want an arm and a leg too. CA-CHING

ROFL, Ok that is so something I would have said, Good on ya