Simon Hochleitner realized that computer mouse devices haven’t really changed much since their original design, which means that problems associated with them haven’t really been addressed very much. He battles the health issues associated with sitting at a computer by adjusting the make of the mouse. This resolves the problem of repetitive strain injury in the wrist, mostly by shifting the movement away from the wrist and hand and making it a slight upper body workout, which improves posture. Simon is driven by the desire to acknowledge and fix a very common problem that hasn’t been addressed. One very interesting thing about their business is that they have an extremely helpful and thorough product website that explains why this innovation is necessary. It even dives into the medical side of things with charts and explanatory graphs. Their product is highly unique in that it doesn’t change the shape of the mouse, but rather the way it is used. Three strings connect the mouse to the ends of a mouse holder apparatus, making it so that you have to exert a bit of upper body strength to move it, which in turn encourages better posture and less slouching. It also improves the way your wrist and hand muscles interact with the mouse, preventing a common health issue that affects frequent computer users, called mousehand. They innovated their product even further by creating two different models of the mouse: the joystick and the flat model. The flat model is specifically marketed to gamers and quick twitch computer users, while the joystick is used for everyday computer users. These innovators and this product have inspired me in my own life and entrepreneurial journey because it combines an everyday product that has been around for ages, and uses health and fitness to supplement it to design a great product that can help anyone with a computer.
Very good article! I really like how Simon didn’t hesitate to find a better solution to a problem that most people would think of as “solved”. Even though the mouse is standard and widely accepted, he wasn’t scared to improve on it. This gives me inspiration when thinking of ideas to not be scared of a product that might already have a “standard” solution.
This is a very fascinating product. Ergonomics is a huge market and it is only growing. I really like how you recognized that the idea has the ability to help a wide range of people- any one with a computer. Good ideas are ideas that have the potential to improve the lives of a wide range of people. Great Article!
This is a great article! The product is so interesting and is something that would benefit so many people. The fact that Simon made a product that is beneficial to your health and is super comfortable shows he has a mind of a true entrepreneur. I am interested to see how this product develops and if it can ultimately go into the gaming industry.