- Reshaped to better fit a greater range of hand sizes
- A gaming grade infrared sensor with hardware adjustable resolution of 800-2600 dpi instead of an optical sensor with fixed 1200 dpi resolution
- An optical scroll wheel with detents (clicks) instead of a smooth rolling wheel
- A small flange along the bottom edge to prevent the little finger from dragging on the desk
- Additional driver functions, such as button programming customizable for different applications
The Skinny:
I have recommended the Evoluent literally thousands of times and have found it to be highly effective in the rehabilitation of upper-limb disorders, when used correctly. Ever since Evoluent launched the first version of VM, I have had tremendous success with injured workers switching form standard mice and trackballs to this device.
This hand/forearm position is of concern to ergonomists; with the elbow flexed, as is generally the case when operating the mouse, hand pronation is achieved by the contraction of the pronator quadratus and pronator teres muscles, whose capacity for work is inversely proportional to the duration of contraction.
The ergonomist thus aims to reduce pronation.
The `neutral' posture of the forearm (if the elbow is flexed) is illustrated by the `handshake' posture, in which the thumb is uppermost and the palm is open, but relaxed.
This posture is readily achieved using `vertical' mice, such as the Evoluent Vertical Mouse. Joystick mouse designs, like the Anir, reduce pronation, but require the operator to adopt a `closed hand' posture in which the flexor tendons are constantly contracted. Joystick mice often require thumb use to click buttons, which is another risk factor, (De Quervain's tenosynovitis).
Touchpads, like the Cirque, SmartCat, generally operate by heat, not pressure, require no grip and COULD be operated vertically, but are generally used horizontally, with the hand pronated. A drawback of touchpads is that they are not optimized for tasks such as copying and pasting or dragging and dropping, being less efficient for such tasks, compared with the Evoluent, which works in exactly the way we are accustomed to mice working. An additional issue is that touchpads tend to have small screens, so that hand-centric movements are likely, which represents an additional risk factor for tendon injury, particularly tennis elbow or forearm extensor tendon injury.
The light clicking action on the Evoluent means that the thumb may be rested on the device, rather than being used to 'squeeze' or pinch when the buttons are clicked - this is important, because a relaxed thumb is essential to well-being in prolonged mouse use. Getting the most benefit out of the Evoluent requires attention to other aspects of ergonomics.
The Evoluent is an excellent 'preventive' device, if properly used.
The Deal:
It is best to compare prices when you can. We will not post prices as retails tend to change. However at the time of this post, your best bet is one of the following:
Buy the Evoluent VM3R2-RSB Vertical Mouse 3 from SavvyTronics.com
Buy the Evoluent VM3R2-RSB Vertical Mouse 3 from Amazon.com
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Specializing in hard-to-find computer and electronic accessores. Find them at http://SavvyTronics.com
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