German firm Axsotic is set to launch a new 3D mouse-like controller which the company is aiming at professional 3D design applications.
The new controller is similar to a trackball but the ball is suspended in a gimbal-like construction so that thumb and fingers can grip the entire ball for precision movement. Not only can the ball be rotated in any direction but it can be moved along the X and Y plane giving true 6-axis input control.
The company said that the ‘3D-Spheric-Mouse’ provides direct control of 3D navigation without any “failure input” and that working with the device feels as “natural as drawing with a pen tablet.”
Axsotic also said the device has no mechanical sensor which presumably means that the ball is tracked entirely by optical means. The device is USB connected, uses standard HID standards and the firm is providing an SDK for developers to integrate support into applications.
Support is already implemented for Autodesk Maya and 3DS Max as well as Maxon Cinema4D and BodyPaint with further application support coming. The question remains if down the line the concept can be developed into a less expensive consumer flavour. For now Axsotic are firmly focused on professional 3D applications.
Axsotic will be demonstrating the 3D-Spheric-Mouse in Boston and San Francisco in mid November although it didn’t say where. See below for a short video demonstration of the controller in action:
3D-Spheric-Mouse from Valentin Heun on Vimeo.
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