The evolution MOUSE-TRAK User Tips
from
ITAC Systems, Inc.
Overview
This document is designed to help you understand the unique features and benefits of
the USB evolution MOUSE-TRAK. It should provide you with the detailed
information by which to most effectively use it. We hope you will enjoy the ease-of-use
and comfort this product delivers.
Easy Installation
With the evolution MOUSE-TRAK, installation is just a matter plugging the
evolution MOUSE-TRAK directly into the USB interface of the iMac,
workstation, or PC (requires Windows98 or Windows NT5.0.) There are no special drivers to
install. The user may wish to adjust the system's software cursor speed and acceleration
controls to suit personal preferences.
The evolution MOUSE-TRAK takes up very little of the user's valuable
desktop "real estate." It's about half the size of a typical mouse pad.
What do all those buttons do?
Before
proceeding with the various things we want you to recognize in the evolution MOUSE-TRAK, we have found that it is useful to take you through a short demonstration.
Don’t worry, yet, about getting your hand comfortable on the unit. Let’s see
what it does, then see how to best use it.
While using the evolution is easy, we will introduce several steps for using
the product in the most effective way. At the same time we draw your attention to
issues in input device design which may not have occurred to you before.
1- Install the unit on your computer as described above.
2- Position your evolution so that your thumb is resting on the second
key from the left.
3- Using your pointing finger (Index, but we have a point to make about pointing
devices!) move the cursor to any icon on your screen.
4- Tap the fourth button from the left (this is the "Left Click & Drag
key").
5- Listen carefully! You should hear a very soft audible alarm coming from the unit. We
have found that users want to know when they are in "drag mode". Some vendors
provide custom drivers which signal this by altering the appearance of the cursor on the
screen while in drag mode. We found that IS support people hate products requiring custom
drivers as they need installing, upgrading, configuring, ... ALL creating support
headaches and adding to the cost of ownership. By adding a small amount of hardware to evolution we have given the user a "drag" indication without adding support problems. The
user can turn off the audible alert if desired.
6- Now move the cursor, using your POINTING (index) finger to tell it where you
want it to move. Cursor control is a fine motor visual integration activity. Your index
finger is your best fine motor manipulator. Use it, not your thumb (we think thumb balls
are brain-dead!) to do your pointing. The icon should drag along with the cursor as you
are still in left key drag mode.
7- When you have the icon moved to where you want it, tap the Left Click & Drag key
again to release the icon.
8- Now, leaving the cursor on the icon, use your thumb to tap the third key from the
left (Left Double Click key). The evolution MOUSE-TRAK should send out a
double click, opening the icon. Once again, extra features without putzing around with the
driver control panel!
9- Using your pointing finger, move the cursor to point to the close button on the
window you just opened.
10- Using your thumb, tap the Left Double Click key again. evolution will
send the Double Click required to close the window. (If you are using a GUI which requires
only one click to close, ... well, ... you will get an extra click!)
11- Reposition the cursor to any icon on the screen and tap the second button from the
left (Left Click key). The icon should now be highlighted, but not opened (unless you are
running some of the new GUI’s which treat icons as buttons.)
12- Now reach down with your pinkie or ring finger and tap the rightmost button (Right
Click key). The computer should respond as normal to a right mouse button click. iMac
users will get no response at this point as Steve Jobs does not think that they need a
"right mouse" function and we figure he knows best what Mac users really need.
13- The fifth button from the left sends out an AUX (or middle button) click. As in
item 12 above, iMac users will get no response as Macs have only one logical mouse key.
14- Now for what that first button, way back to the left does. It toggles the trackball
in and out of ballistic acceleration mode. This raises an interesting topic. Some editors
insist on getting a DPI (Dots Per Inch) specification for a trackball. Please don’t
embarrass yourself by asking that question! As the trackball is stationary, it moves 0
(zero inches). This results in the DPI for ALL trackballs being infinite since anything
divided by zero is infinite. The next related embarrassing question to avoid is...
"Well, OK so DPI isn’t important, then how about PPR (Pulses per revolution)?
That will tell me how precise the trackball is!" Wrong again. What most editors
really want to know is how precisely can the user position the cursor and how fast can
he/she move the cursor across the screen (conflicting goals). For precise cursor control
the user needs a low PPR and for quick trans-screen moves the user needs a high PPR. If
you move the ball quickly with the evolution in ballistic mode (it defaults
to this when it powers up), you get more pulses per revolution. The faster you move it the
higher the PPR goes. This gives the user lots of control. With the evolution
out of ballistic mode, the PPR is constant at a relatively low number to provide the user
with extremely precise cursor control. Play with the evolution and try
switching in/out of ballistic mode. We recommend setting the cursor speed in your mouse
control panel fairly low to get the most out of our instant speed control feature.
A Convenient Key For Every Typical Event
As we have seen, evolution comes with a single key for each of the most
common mouse operations. The keys are placed to put those most frequently used nearest the
ball to minimize the amount of reaching the user must do. evolution
minimizes key strokes and reduces total cursor control effort.
We have found from years of experience (ITAC supplies over 40% of the trackballs used
on UNIX workstations), different users have different needs. One size simply does not fit
all. To accommodate differing tastes, we designed the keys on evolution to
provide a light touch for smaller hands and a heavier touch for larger hands. As the
distance from the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb is usually smaller on
smaller hands, users with small hands will tend to rest their thumb neared to the back of
the unit where firing forces for the key are around 100 grams. As the point at which the
key is pressed moves toward the users wrist, the firing force increases, giving a firmer
feel.
What's That Noise?
When the user moves the ball on the evolution MOUSE-TRAK, bearing noise
will be audible. This is normal. It is due to the nature of the bearings used in the
manufacture of the evolution MOUSE-TRAK. These are the same type as those
used in hard disk drives. Since the bearings are turning at a much lower speed in the evolution,
as compared to the disk drive, they are noisy. They also provide an extremely low rolling
force and are incredibly durable. But they are noisy! The plastic friction bearings used
in most trackball mice are not noisy, but they don’t move as easily and they simply
don’t hold up in heavy use like a MOUSE-TRAK.
No Special Drivers
Not to belabor the point, but because our focus groups with IT management told us it is
very important,
the evolution MOUSE-TRAK has been designed to be compatible with the
standard mouse drivers provided with popular computer systems, not special drivers. Not
only does this mean that installation is simplified, but it also means there are no
special drivers to keep up-to-date. Software maintenance for the evolution
MOUSE-TRAK is just a matter of keeping the system software upgraded. In institutions where
a multiplicity of workstations, input and output devices, network connections, and other
communications standards keep maintenance staff overloaded, this will be a very welcome
feature. Some IS management actually said that they no longer allow installation of third
party mice because of the driver support costs that they have experienced! End users in
our focus groups were less concerned with this issue.
Ergonomic Excellence
Designed for use in ergonomic office settings, evolution
will not always be comfortable for use on traditional desk setups. We strongly recommend
that users pay attention to the ergonomics of keyboard and mouse positioning whether using
a MOUSE-TRAK or any other input device. If you do have a desk arrangement that allows your
keyboard and mouse to be at
the height of your elbow when your arm is hanging relaxed against your side, then you are
ready for evolution. For you, the evolution MOUSE-TRAK doesn't
just look like it's ergonomically designed. It proves it in several key features. By
rotating the thumb to a slightly higher position than ordinary devices do, the evolutionMOUSE-TRAK
positions the hand in a comfortable, low-stress configuration. The buttons - specially
designed curved bars, in this case - fit readily to natural, relaxed hand and finger
positions. It's comfortable to use.
The user doesn't "grasp" the palm pad of the evolution
MOUSE-TRAK, but a few moments of experimenting will help the user find the most
comfortable position for him or her to rest the hand on the pad. This will differ among
persons depending upon the size of the hands, length of fingers, etc.
The materials used in the manufacture of the evolution MOUSE-TRAK were
chosen not only for their sturdy characteristics, appropriate for use in general office or
production environments, but also for their cushioning effects on the wrist and hand.
Thinking Like The User - to make using the
computer simpler
When users are trained to perform tasks, they think in terms of events.
Point here, click here, enter data, etc. Typical mouse technology, however, complicates
this process slightly by requiring the user to perform one action for some events, and two
for others-click, double click. Is that double click one event, or two? With the evolution
MOUSE-TRAK, there are two buttons closely associated with one another that provide these
separate functions. One button performs the single click function. The other button
performs the double-click function. It cuts down on repetitive motions, associates one
event with one action, and simplifies the user interface. Once the user makes the quick
adaptation to the new, more usable interface, it becomes entirely intuitive and speeds up
user actions with the point-and-click device.
Right Hand/Left Hand OperationWith A couple of key strokes
The user can switch from the pre-configured right-hand operation mode to left-hand mode
in a few seconds, without changing the control panel setup. A simple key-chord lets you
enter programming mode and then send the simple sequence command to change the settings.
To let you know you were successful, the evolution MOUSE-TRAK even
acknowledges your programming with a sequence of tones.
Programmable Buttons
Not only is right/left-handed operation programmable, but if the user has special needs
or preferences, all six of the buttons on the evolution MOUSE-TRAK are
programmable without the use of special software drivers. Furthermore, it's just as easy
to return to default settings. In truth, ITAC’s president recommends enlisting the 12
year old who programs the VCR clocks in your neighborhood if you want to reprogram the
keys other than setting them to left/right hand factory defaults. But, if for some reason
the 12 year old is not around, you can always refer to our Button Programming Instructions.
All kidding aside, some of our early users like customizing the key program. The most
common change we have heard of is to swap the position of "primary click" and
"primary double-click".
No Trouble To Clean
The evolution MOUSE-TRAK was designed to be used in places that would gum
up a typical mouse or trackball in no time, but it may get dirty from normal use. Because
it provides such an extremely smooth action, users quickly notice the effects of
"stuff" getting on the shafts. With cheaper trackballs the ball movement is so
stiff and irregular that users don’t realize that something is going wrong! Anyone
who has ever worked with a mouse knows that they attract dirt, fuzz, lint, and other
"stuff," which can cause ball movement to feel rough and may inhibit normal
cursor movement. When this happens with the evolution MOUSE-TRAK, the user
doesn't ordinarily have to disassemble the device to clean it. Simply spin the ball as
hard and fast as possible at each diagonal, which will cause the dirt to fly off into the
case, and then press down on the ball and move it in a circular motion to further clean
the shaft surface.
A Family of Precision Input Devices
The evolution MOUSE-TRAK is the most recent member of the MOUSE-TRAK
family of precision-control input devices, including the MOUSE-TRAK Personal, MOUSE-TRAK
Professional, the MOUSE-TRAK Industrial, and a line of panel-mountable components.
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Professional MOUSE-TRAK
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Industrial MOUSE-TRAK
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