This is Not A Mouse.
Rethinking how we interact with our computers
Here you'll find:
UX | Testing | Hardware | Prototyping | Product Design
Not A Mouse is an input device that started with a simple question: Why are we still relying on a tool that hasn’t fundamentally changed in decades — even though it’s causing wrist strain and discomfort for people around the world? Not A Mouse explores what happens when we rethink human-computer interaction from the ground up, putting comfort, flow, and gesture at the center of the experience.
It started with a spontaneous trip to San Francisco
I had just applied with my travel app concept "Wander" to a startup accelerator, not expecting much — when suddenly, I got accepted. A few days later, I packed my things and flew to the other end of the World.
The more you use a mouse, the higher the risk of injury over time
60%
40%
20%
Risk
<10h/week
10-20h/week
>30h/week
A single conversation changed everything
In San Francisco, I met a father who was dealing with severe hand strain. He told me how he had spent over $2000 on an eye-tracking device, just to keep working. That moment stuck with me. My partner and I couldn’t stop thinking about it — and quickly, our focus shifted from Wander to something else entirely.
The mouse has barely changed since 1960
We started digging and were surprised at how little the design of the mouse has evolved since it was first invented. Everything around it has changed — our tools, our workflows, our bodies — but the mouse remained. We wanted to challenge that.
People who struggle to use Traditional Mice
Affected by RSI
(5-10%)
not affected
Computer Users experiencing Wrist & Hand pain
42,3% had no pain before
57,7% had pain before
​
The Problem with Ergonomic Mice, as we found out, is that standard mice force the wrist into a fixed position on the desk, which can cause long-term strain and pain — especially with daily, repetitive use. Ergonomic alternatives do exist, but they’re often bulky, heavy, and not designed for mobility. And even those don’t work for everyone. Some users still struggle, despite investing in expensive solutions. What stood out to us was that all of these tools rely on a surface. With Not A Mouse, we wanted to break free from that.
We began prototyping in the kitchen — literally
We made bread dough and started shaping ideas by hand. People from the accelerator stopped by all day to test our early shapes. They clicked, scrolled, and moved their hands in the air. We listened, observed, reshaped — again and again.
From hand-sculpted shapes to 3D prints
After sketching and testing dozens of foam and dough models, we moved on to 3D modeling and printing. We experimented with different sizes, angles, and grip styles. Eventually, we built a real case and started embedding the hardware inside.
The work was split
While my partner handled the tech — electronics, hardware and software — I did the design: form development, modelling, 3D printing, and physical iteration. We worked side-by-side, every day for two months — testing, learning and improving.
So what is Not A Mouse?
It’s a one-handed, gesture-based input device. It lets you move the cursor, click, scroll, undo, redo, switch tabs and activate voice commands.
Designed with ergonomics in mind, it responds to your hand, not your desk. ​Instead of resting on a surface, Not A Mouse is worn in the hand like a soft tech object. The shape was developed through continuous ergonomic testing to make sure it works in both active and relaxed positions.
We’re not done yet
Not everything works perfectly (yet). We’re still testing, refining, and learning what people really need — and how they want to interact. But we believe in the potential of this idea, and we’re pushing it as far as we can.
3D Rendering
Prototype
Website
(in progress)
"Design should respond to the hand, not the desk​."
Exciting News!
We got selected to exhibit at 5 international design weeks
Not A Mouse was chosen as one of the winning projects of the Next Gen Design Competition and we will be exhibiting at five design festivals across Europe this year:
​​​
– Belgrade Mikser Festival
– Amsterdam WDCD
– Vienna Design Week
– Barcelona Design Week
– Skopje Design Week
