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The caption reads: Windows 2000!

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How to maintain the computer mouse
from Click for How To

Mouse enables faster and easier execution of functions while working on the computer. A mouse comes in very handy, as you do not have to always rely on the keyboard to navigate. It is a time saving and convenient device. In addition, the scrolling facility enables us to work in an easy and fast manner. Mouse can be maintained very well by just taking a few precautions while using it.

Place the mouse in a smooth and clean surface. Get a mouse pad so that the mouse is not kept on furniture that does not have a smooth and polished finishing. Scrolling the mouse on a hard, uneven surface can slowly damage the devices that help in moving it.

Keep the mouse in a clean and dry place. If possible, buy a cover and keep the mouse covered when not in use. In this way, it will not get exposed to dust and dirt.

Keep your hands clean while handling a mouse. Wash your hands thoroughly and dry it before handling the mouse. Do not eat fries or chips, and touch the mouse without cleaning your hands. The grease or oil gets stuck to the surface and will lead to accumulation of dirt and dust particles. If the mouse is white, it may start showing signs of discolouration like turning yellow.

Do not play with the mouse, especially the scrolling button. Do not keep constantly scrolling it. It may be an unconscious activity when we are bored or restless. Do not be impatient if the icon you click at does not respond at once. Do not start clicking the mouse frantically if the system does not respond. It may just be that the system needs more time to extract the data.

Clean the mouse regularly. Refer to the manual provided at the time of installing the mouse. Use a solution especially meant for cleaning computer devices. Do not wash or scrub the mouse with detergents or soaps.

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Eliminating office injury a top priority
from LittleAbout.com

Government, business, and individuals are re-evaluating work station arrangements, regulations, and routines as awareness grows of the consequences of repetitive movement and overexertion from common office tasks.

Of the 2000 hours spent each year at work, an increasing fraction is spent in front of computer terminals, leading to an increase in repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome. Though not statistically documented by government agencies, arm, shoulder, back, and headache pain complaints are heard more and more around the office water cooler.

Supervisors are learning they can risk losing fewer workers to disability, time off, and worker’s compensation if they make offices more ergonomically friendly. Though budgets and management support of ergonomic improvements vary widely, human resource departments and small company office managers are beginning to address the problem as awareness grows.

WORKPLACE REGULATIONS
While present guidelines regarding the latest desk arrangements and office equipment demands are largely generalized safety precautions, the government, headed by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is preparing strict and specific policies with the threat of enforcement and fines. The regulations could be approved by the end of 2000. In the US, where 300,000 ergonomic injuries occur yearly, businesses will have to design plans addressing the specific needs of the given industry. In Canada, government and commercial concern is also growing.

OSHA claims the plan would save businesses $9 billion dollars in worker’s compensation annually. But The National Coalition on Ergonomics, representing both large and small businesses, opposes regulation on grounds that employers will have to spend billions to make the changes. Some work-related injuries statistics show a downward trend, says a coalition spokesman who predicts the mandates will fail to assure the prevention of injury.

ERGONOMIC OUTFITTING
In the meantime, from receptionist desks to CEOs’ suites to the mail room, retrofitted work spaces are sporting ergonomic support devices that form a stark contrast to the lean, upright bureaucratic desk-chair-typewriter workstations that went largely unchanged from WWII through the early 1980s.

A NEW INDUSTRY
Daphne Thaung is an industrial hygienist, hired by companies to see how employee workstations can become ergonomically safer. “We improve morale, productivity, and just improve the overall environment of the workplace,” says Thaung. “You have to address the people’s concerns.”

Thaung has witnessed progressive companies implement a whole new way of thinking about on-the -job safety. “We are in an era of an aging workforce. “We can’t do things that we used to be able to do in the past,” she says. Ergonomic safety principles need to be implemented in all segments of society, and life, says Thaung. “It’s important that we adapt this not only in the workplace but also in the hobbies [and] personal activities that [we] might be involved in.”

Equipment as simple as cushioned rubber floor mats are being brought in for workers like mailroom sorters and loading dock clerks who are on their feet all day. Wheels are being put onto the bottoms of heavy containers that were once hauled around by hand or partially by trolley.

Employee education is also important to reduce injury, according to Thaung. “People are not utilizing all the adjustments, and so the next step of this is training people or getting people to be aware of how they sit, how to use the tool properly,” she says. One tool, called an ergometer, can be used to teach proper lifting. The device is strapped onto the arm so the wearer can hear beeping increase and decrease, reflecting the degree of muscle tension.

SAFETY IS GOOD BUSINESS
Since paying out disability insurance and replacing employees is expensive, precaution measures are generally thought to be in the interest of employers. Established companies and labor unions have ever-evolving manuals outlining policies and procedures regarding actions that may result in injury. Union policies disallow flight attendants from placing luggage into overhead bins, no matter how aged or feeble a passenger may be. Secretarial temp agencies teach new hires to refuse to lift or move anything that may result in injury, even if asked.

MINIMIZE STRAIN
Industrial hygienist Stephen Kowalewsky, who consults with corporations and conducts occupational research at the University of California, San Diego, recommends placing frequently used office devices, like the telephone and the computer mouse, within easy reach.

Computer screens should be about an arm’s length away from the eyes, Kowalewsky says, with the screen at or a little below eye level. Repeated awkward turning or looking up can result in day to day strain and long-term injury, he says.

Kowalewsky also says a footrest can take pressure off legs and back, and arm and wrist rests assure that wrists don’t bend but remain at the same level as the keyboard. Frequent breaks and stretching throughout the day can also reduce injury, he says.

Kowalewsky recommends workers experiment on their own to determine maximum comfort. His general principles have made a significant difference for many. Says Kowalewsky, “They will come back to us later on, and they’ll say , ‘That little change you made for my work station just changed my life.’”

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How to Choose the Best Computer Mouse
from Life123

Early mice had one or two buttons at most and operated with a rubberized ball that transferred motion to a pair of rollers inside the mouse that translated the ball’s movements into a horizontal and vertical position on the monitor. While this type of computer mouse was efficient, the rubber ball sometimes swelled in humid weather and the rollers would clog with desktop debris, making the computer mouse less accurate over time.

Skip the ball for your next computer mouse. An optical mouse uses an LED to track motion, eliminating the problems of dirt buildup. Optical mice work on most surfaces without a mouse pad, but if you have a translucent glass or polished stone desk you’ll need to keep the mouse pad.

A computer mouse with laser optics provides greater precision for designers, architects and digital artists. Unless you need a truly precise mouse, say for freehand drawing or modeling, it’s better to choose a less-expensive optical mouse.

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The eyes have it: Logo from the Gaze-enhanced User Interface Design (GUIDe) project at Stanford. The project’s goal is to use information about where a person is looking in order to develop applications that make interacting with computers easier. Credit: Manu Kumar, the GUIDe Program at Stanford University

An Alternative to the Computer Mouse
A user interface that tracks eye movement may provide an alternate way to use a computer.
By Kate Greene

A researcher at Stanford has created an alternative to the mouse that allows a person using a computer to click links, highlight text, and scroll simply by looking at the screen and tapping a key on the keyboard. By using standard eye-tracking hardware--a specialized computer screen with a high-definition camera and infrared lights--Manu Kumar, a doctoral student who works with computer-science professor Terry Winograd, has developed a novel user interface that is easy to operate.


"Eye-tracking technology was developed for disabled users," Kumar explains, "but the work that we're doing here is trying to get it to a point where it becomes more useful for able-bodied users." He says that nondisabled users tend to have a higher standard for easy-to-use interfaces, and previously, eye-tracking technology that disabled people use hasn't appealed to them.


At the heart of Kumar's technology is software called EyePoint that works with standard eye-tracking hardware. The software uses an approach that requires that a person look at a Web link, for instance, and hold a "hot key" on the keyboard (usually found on the number pad on the right) as she is looking. The area of the screen that's being looked at becomes magnified. Then, the person pinpoints her focus within the magnified region and releases the hot key, effectively clicking through to the link.


Kumar's approach could take eye-tracking user interfaces in the right direction. Instead of designing a common type of gaze-based interface that is controlled completely by the eyes--for instance, a system in which a user gazes at a given link, then blinks in order to click through--he has involved the hand, which makes the interaction more natural. "He's got the right idea to let the eye augment the hand," says Robert Jacob, professor of computer science at Tufts University, in Medford, MA.


Rudimentary eye-tracking technology dates back to the early 1900s. Using photographic film, researchers captured reflected light from subjects' eyes and used the information to study how people read and look at pictures. But today's technology involves a high-resolution camera and a series of infrared light-emitting diodes. This hardware is embedded into the bezel of expensive monitors; the one Kumar uses cost $25,000. The camera picks up the movement of the pupil and the reflection of the infrared light off the cornea, which is used as a reference point because it doesn't move.


Even the best eye tracker isn't perfect, however. "The eye is not really very stable," says Kumar. Even when a person is fixated on a point, the pupil jitters. So he wrote an algorithm that allows the computer to smooth out the eye jitters in real time. The rest of the research, says Kumar, involves studying how people look at a screen and figuring out a way to build an interface that "does not overload the visual channel." In other words, he wanted to make its use feel natural to the user.


One of the important features of the interface, says Kumar, is that it works without a person needing to control a cursor. Unlike the mouse-based system in ubiquitous use today, EyePoint provides no feedback on where a person is looking. Previous studies have shown that it is distracting to a person when she is aware of her gaze because she consciously tries to control its location. In the usability studies that Kumar conducted, he found that people's performance dropped when he implemented a blue dot that followed their eyes.

In his studies of 20 people, he found that participants that needed to type and point could point faster using the gaze-based appraoch than using a mouse, although the error rate--20 percent--was fairly high. But overall, about 90 percent of participants reported that they preferred using EyePoint to the mouse.


It's the 20 percent error rate that could cause some problems, says Ted Selker, professor at the MIT Media and Arts Technology Laboratory. "[It's] a huge amount," he says, "because a person can notice a significant decline in accuracy at just 5 percent." Selker adds that the low accuracy could make text editing a challenge.


Kumar concedes that the system isn't perfect, but he contends that many of the errors came from people, who due to lack of practice, clicked links that they thought they had looked at but were only in their peripheral vision. Indeed, he says, trackpads, trackpoints, trackballs do not perform as well as a mouse either but are still viable input devices. Kumar says he's been working on algorithms that show promise for making EyePoint more accurate by accounting for peripheral vision related errors. Still, he allows that EyePoint might work poorly for certain people, such as those with thick glasses, special contact lenses, or lazy eyes.



Even so, Kumar is confident in the technology and its development as a tool for the general population. To that end, he has tested a number of different interface schemes, all under a project called Gaze-enhanced User Interface Design (GUIDe). Another application, called EyeExposé, is made for Apple's OS X feature called Exposé, in which a person can hit the F11 key to miniaturize all open windows, then drag the mouse cursor to the window she wants to bring forward. With EyeExposé, the user can hit the F11 key, then bring forward a window of interest by tapping a keyboard key. Also, Kumar has modified the "scroll lock" key on a keyboard in an application called EyeScroll: as a person reads, the screen slowly reveals more text. In addition, Kumar is testing a modified version of the "page up" and "page down" keys. When a person reads to the bottom of a page, the software automatically scrolls down one page; in order to help a reader keep her place, the most recently looked at part of the screen is highlighted.


The important thing about the Stanford research, says Shumin Zhai, researcher at IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, CA and pioneer in the eye-tracking field, is that Kumar "has been working on making eye tracking practical for everyday tasks." However, Zhai says that there may still be a barrier for the average person because she needs to go through a calibration process in which the software measures how quickly her eyes move.


There are some signs that eye-tracking technology could find its way to the consumer market soon. Apple's desktops and laptops are now equipped with a built-in camera for videoconferencing. If a higher-resolution camera, infrared LEDs, and software were added, Apple's machines would be able to support applications from the GUIDe project, says Kumar. If eye tracking proves appealing to the consumer, and the hardware costs drop to a reasonable range, eye-tracking interfaces could provide an alluring and entertaining alternative to the mouse or laptop track pad. "It's almost like magic when it's working," says Tufts's Jacob. "The sensation you get is that the computer's reading your mind, and that's really very powerful."


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Computer Mouse Help and Troubleshooting Tips
By: Jaceson Maughan

The computer mouse is second only to the keyboard in how you access and operate your computer, so when you need computer mouse help, take the time to troubleshoot what might be wrong before buying a new one.

Optical or Roller Mouse
An optical mouse or roller mouse can cause trouble when the working parts become dirty or grimy. For an optical mouse, clean the optical “eye” on the bottom of the mouse with a cotton swab dipped in some rubbing alcohol. Let it dry thoroughly. Clean up a roller mouse by removing the roller ball ring and taking out the ball. Clean it with mild soap and warm water. With a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, clean the internal rollers thoroughly and let them air dry.

Wireless Mouse
When your wireless mouse starts to act up, you may notice that the tracking is no longer smooth, it takes more than two clicks to select something on the screen or the mouse doesn’t track for short periods of time. There are several things you can do to get the best performance from your wireless mouse without asking for computer help from an expert.

Check the receiver for the mouse, which is connected to the computer. The receiver should be plugged into the PS/2 or USB port; sometimes it can come loose or get blocked by something. If the signals are not being received from the mouse, poor performance will result.

A wireless mouse runs on batteries. When they run low, the mouse could demonstrate signs of unreliability. If you’ve checked the receiver and it seems fine, exchange the old batteries for new ones. Most wireless mouse setups either use a couple of AA batteries or must be recharged with a dedicated charger. Ensure that the wireless muse is fully charged before trying it out again.

Mouse Drivers
If cleaning and checking the mouse doesn’t work, you may need to reconfigure the mouse driver. You can do this by performing a system restore (that resets the computer to the last time the mouse was working) or you may even have to reload the mouse driver. Depending on your computer setup, refer to the owner’s manual for details on how to do that. A computer repair service can also assist you in this process if you are not comfortable doing it yourself.

If these troubleshooting tips do not restore function to the mouse, you may need to take the wireless mouse to a computer repair service for a more detailed inspection and internal examination.



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Some folks don't use a mouse pad with an optical mouse. Although, it can be done. The computer mouse, optical or not, works best on the surface of a smooth mousepad. It also keeps the bottom of the mouse clean. It's a personal choice, and most computer users opt for the mouse pad for smooth, clean mouse movement. The ValueRays Heated Mouse Pad shown above is available online for under $30!

How an Optical Mouse Works With Your Computer
By Dachary Carey

Meet the optical mouse: a revolutionary device that eliminates sticky roller wheels, dirty sensors and irritating banging just to get your mouse to work. Gone are the days when you had to worry about opening a mouse to clean the scroll ball or sensors; the optical mouse makes all this bother obsolete by using imaging technology.

What Is an Optical Mouse?
An optical mouse doesn’t use sensor bars and a roller ball like a mechanical mouse. Instead, it bounces light off a surface to determine where it’s located and whether or not you’ve moved the mouse. Because an optical mouse works using a CMOS light sensor, you don’t have to worry about any moving parts. Desktop dirt and dust can still block the lens, but this is easily wiped off and you don't need to take the mouse apart to do it.

Optical mice are ideal in households with pets, because you don’t have to worry about dirt or fuzz accumulating and clogging the mouse sensors. They’re also great if you have an aversion to dusting, and you tend to accumulate fuzz or dirt on your desktop. You can use an optical mouse in a workshop or other area prone to dust or smoke without worrying about the mouse getting gummed up or having to clean it every couple of days.

Pictures Become Movement
An optical computer mouse works by bouncing light off a surface and taking hundreds of pictures per second to determine whether the surface has changed. The digital signal processor analyzes the pictures and measures the change in the surface, which translates to how far and in what direction you’ve moved the optical mouse. Because the mouse works from hundreds of pictures per second, the cursor appears to move very smoothly and you don’t have a jumpy, juddering motion.

This means that you can use an optical mouse anywhere. Because it doesn’t require contact with a slightly soft, tactile surface to manipulate a scroll ball, you can use an optical mouse on any surface, as long as its not transparent. You don’t need a mouse pad or even desk space; you can use an optical mouse on a book, your lap or any other relatively flat surface that can hold it. An optical laptop mouse is a great traveling companion for your laptop.

Precision and Control
Because an optical mouse can detect very small movements, this type of mouse offers superior precision and fine control over your mouse functions. Cursor movement is very smooth, enabling you to be much more precise than you would with a mechanical mouse. Gamers and graphic designers prefer the optical mouse because of its superior precision and fine control.

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The first computer mouse is a far-cry from the technology and functionality of today's warm computer mouse. Take for example, the heated computer mouse generates healing infrared heat to soothe aching muscles and improves blood circulation. Do you think the warm computer mouse was a thought 40 years ago? Probably not!

Douglas Engelbart

Who Invented the Computer Mouse?
By Gene Rodriguez III from Life123


Have you ever wondered who invented the computer mouse? The computer mouse is a pointing device that tracks its position on the desktop and uses the information to control the position of the cursor on screen. While mice are now common computer accessories, their acceptance was slow in coming.

Ancestors of the Modern Computer Mouse
In the 1950s, researchers working for the Royal Canadian Navy used a small bowling ball to create the first track ball. This pointing device was created as part of a top-secret project and never patented.

In 1968, Douglas Engelbart, working at the Stanford Research Institute, invented a single-button mouse he referred to as a "X-Y Position Indicator for a Display System." The first mouse was made of wood and used two wheels to track the X and Y positions, which were translated into motion on a computer monitor. Engelbart patented his invention in 1970, but his patent expired before the device became popular.

In 1972, Bill English, a colleague of Englbart’s, developed the ball mouse while working for Xerox PARC. English’s mouse worked like an inverted trackball and came as standard equipment with Xerox 8010 Star Information System distributed in 1981.

In 1984, Apple computer released the first Macintosh (Mac) computer. The graphical user interface of the Mac, which borrowed heavily from work done at Xerox, made extensive use of the mouse. The popularity of the Mac established the mouse as the standard pointing device for PCs.

What Is a Computer Mouse Today?
The ball mouse was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s. These older models had a small rubber ball in the base that triggered rollers to determine the X and Y coordinates on a monitor, and they only had one button. There were two big problems with the design: first, early mouse balls would swell in heat or high humidity, making the mouse inoperable. Second, all the dirt on a desk would eventually work its way into the mouse and gum up the roller wheels.

In the 1990s, optical mice were developed that used a light sensor to track the position of the device. Early optical mice needed to be used with special pads printed with a grid pattern. Advancements in technology allowed optical mice to be used on any surface, as long as it's not transparent.

Although the first mice had one button, later versions had two and sometimes three buttons. In 1997, Microsoft introduced the IntelliMouse that featured a scrolling wheel. With support built in to most major applications, the scroll wheel became a standard mouse feature for Windows PCs.

Warm Up the Mouse Hand Before Login - Rheumatoid Arthritis Hand Pain

Heat therapy increases blood flow and flexibility in the joint. Infared heat penetrates deep through skin's layers to the muscle tissue improving blood circulation to the affected areas. The website Warm Mouse Heated Keyboard provides USB heaters for computer users with hand pain and cold hands. They are perfect to provide warm infrared heat therapy. The ValueRays Warm Mouse, Warm Keyboard Pad, Warm Mouse Pad and Mouse Hand Warmer Blanket are available online and range from $20 - $30 each with free shipping and no sales tax. These items are a great gift idea for computer users who suffer with arthritis hand pain. Actually, the person who invented the Mouse Hand Warmer product has arthritis and made the website available for very selfish reasons: She wanted to help relieve her mouse hand arthritic pain.

Hand Exercises for Rheumatoid Arthritis Hand Pain
from the Mayo Clinic

Bend your fingers

The following hand exercises show moves that can provide arthritis pain relief. You can do these hand exercises daily or, preferably, several times a day. You might find it helps to do hand exercises while soaking your hands in warm water. Know your limitations, though. Hand exercises shouldn't cause pain.

Start your hand exercises by relaxing your hand. Start with your fingers straight and close together. Bend the end and middle joints of your fingers. Keep your wrist and knuckles straight. Moving slowly and smoothly, return your hand to the first position.

Make a fist

Start with your fingers straight and spread apart. Make a loose, gentle fist and wrap your thumb around the outside of your fingers. Be careful not to squeeze your fingers together too tightly. Moving slowly and smoothly, return to the starting position. Repeat. Perform this exercise with both hands.

Open your hand wide

Spread your fingers apart as wide as you can and hold that position. Slowly relax your fingers and bring them together. Return to the open-wide position. Repeat with each hand and gradually increase the number of repetitions.

Touch your fingertips

Straighten your fingers and thumb. Bend your thumb across your palm, touching the tip of your thumb to the pad of your hand just below your pinky finger. If you can't make your thumb touch, just stretch as far as you can. Return your thumb to its starting position, as shown in image 3.

For the next exercise, form the letter O by touching your thumb to each fingertip, as shown in images 4 through 6. Moving slowly and smoothly, touch your index finger to your thumb, then straighten your fingers. Touch your middle finger to your thumb and straighten. Follow with your ring and pinky fingers.


Walk your fingers

Rest your hand on a flat surface, such as a tabletop, with your palm facing down and your fingers spread slightly apart. Moving one finger at a time, slowly walk your fingers toward your thumb. Start by lifting and moving your index finger toward your thumb. Follow by lifting and moving your middle finger toward your thumb. Proceed with moving your ring finger and then your pinky finger toward your thumb. Don't move your wrist or thumb while doing this exercise. Repeat with your other hand.

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Best Range of Motion Exercises for Rheumatoid Arthritis
by Lori Batcheller
from disaboom.com

Range of motion exercises are one part of a comprehensive rheumatoid arthritis treatment plan that generally also includes strengthening and endurance exercises and medication to help decrease pain, improve joint mobility, muscle strength, and endurance and help maintain a healthy weight. Regular exercise can also decrease fatigue and promote feelings of well-being.

What is Range of Motion Exercise?
Range of motion exercises are gentle stretching movements designed to move each joint through its full range of motion. Range of motion exercise helps to keep each joint fully mobile and prevent the stiffness and deformities commonly associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The movements also help keep bone and cartilage—the protective cushions at the ends of bones—strong and healthy by bringing nutrients to the joints and removing waste products. The gentle nature of these exercises make them ideal for people with rheumatoid arthritis who might shy away from movement due to pain.

How and When to do Your Arthritis Exercise
The following range of motion exercise program is designed to address the joints most commonly affected in rheumatoid arthritis: hands, wrists, feet, ankles, knees, shoulders, and elbows. For the best results, perform the exercises daily when your arthritis symptoms are least problematic. Avoid exercise if the joint feels hot since exercise can increase swelling, tenderness and heat. Some people find that exercising after morning stiffness subsides and before afternoon fatigue sets in is ideal. Begin with 10 repetitions of each motion on both sides of your body, increasing or decreasing the number of repetitions depending upon how you feel. Try to do at least a few repetitions every day. If doing all the exercises at once is too tiring, do one or two joints at a time spread throughout the day.

Listen to Your Body
Always listen to the signals from your body to gear the intensity and amount of exercise. Overdoing exercise, especially during a flare-up of arthritis symptoms, can aggravate or worsen the condition. While some amount of discomfort is okay, if the pain lasts more than two hours following exercising, back off and do fewer repetitions until the pain subsides.

Before starting any new exercise, consult your doctor to discuss your exercise program and goals to make sure you are exercising safely. A physical therapist can help design a program uniquely suited to your arthritis symptoms.

Range of Motion Exercise Program
1. Gently squeeze your fingers, making a fist, then stretch your fingers open and apart.

2. Rotate your wrists clockwise, then counterclockwise.

3. Bend and straighten your elbows.

4. Sitting with your forearms resting on your lap or a table, palms facing up, turn the palms down, rotating at the elbow, then turn the palms up.

5. While sitting, straighten and bend your knees.

6. Flex and point your ankle.

7. Draw the alphabet with your foot.

8. Pendulum range of motion: Standing, hold on to the back of a chair with your right hand and bend over so that you are facing the floor. Allow your left arm to dangle straight down. Gently draw circles clockwise then counter clockwise, beginning with small circles and gradually drawing larger ones.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis
from Med.Mun.CA

Rheumatoid Arthritis is part of a systemic connective tissue disease with an insidious onset, and a prolonged course marked by exacerbations and remissions of joint pain and swelling. As in this case, the patient often does not remember the first onset of symptoms. Rheumatoid arthritis effects about 1% of the population. Women are affected three times as frequently as men, and onset is usually in the patients thirties and forties. As in this case, there is usually symmetrical involvement of both hands.

The etiology of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, although current theories lean toward a triggering event such as an infection in a genetically susceptible person, which unleashes an immune response which directly or indirectly destroys the synovial membranes, connective tissues and bone. Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis have HLA-DR4, and roughly 80% test positive for rheumatoid factor, a macroglobin molecule in the blood.

Clinically, the typical presentation is of symmetrical involvement of both hands, with morning pain and stiffness, swollen joints (particularly PIP, MCP, and wrist) and rheumatoid nodules (subcutaneous nodules that begin as vasculitis and become necrotic with fibrous, mononuclear and granulation tissues). In this case, the on the patient's forearm is a rheumatoid nodule. The underside (extensor surface) of the forearm distal to the elbow is a typical spot for rheumatoid nodules.

Radiographically, there is a typical presentation of bony erosion (white arrowheads). Progressive joint deformities (large white arrows) are due to muscle spasm, atrophy and contracture, as well as the erosion of articular surfaces, stretched ligaments and tendon rupture. In addition, pannus, a granular inflammation, creeps across the joint surfaces and chokes off the normal nutrient supply, causing cartilage necrosis, bone erosion, and ultimately the fusion of bones (ankylosis). This is seen as a lack of space around the carpal and metacarpal bones (black arrowheads).

Rheumatoid arthritis can be a terribly debilitating disease. The pain is treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, while the progress of the disease is hindered by exercise, physiotherapy and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

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Is Your Computer Killing You Softly?
Rieva Lesonsky

Being an entrepreneur means working, if not quite 24/7, darn close most days. I spend a good part of my day (and night) on my computers, writing, researching, reading, and Tweeting. As a result, I have occasional wrist pain and an almost constant neck ache.

Brian Bentow, founder and owner of Computer Athlete Media, based in Newport Beach, Calif., and author of The Computer Athlete's Handbook: Your Guide to a Healthier, Happier Techy Lifestyle says that I -- along with millions of other Americans -- am suffering needlessly. Bentow preaches his mission "to help people live happier and healthier techy lifestyles" via his Web site Computer Athlete Central. Intrigued by his message, I contacted Bentow to talk to him about how we can all feel better and be more productive.

Rieva Lesonsky: As technology advances and gets more portable, we entrepreneurs tend to rely on it more and more. We're using computers for many more hours. How big a problem is this?

Brian Bentow: The problem -- that people are suffering from cumulative trauma disorders, serious health issues, and other side effects from their techy lifestyles -- is enormous and pervasive. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), 60 percent of people who use a computer for work experience some physical discomfort. This problem also destroys lives and careers, decreases productivity, increases workers compensation costs, and is going to get worse unless we take steps to prevent it.

Lesonsky: Any estimate on the dollar amount of health injuries directly related to computer usage?

Bentow: OSHA reports that the direct costs of repetitive strain injuries (RSI) in the U.S. are between $15 and $20 billion annually.

Lesonsky: What does it cost companies in lost productivity?

Bentow: Any way you look at it, the cost is significant to enormous. An unhappy employee who is in pain is less likely to work hard for your company. In the worst case, you can lose any one of your top employees due to a computer-related injury, on a temporary or permanent basis. It can literally push a company from viability over the edge to a black hole.

Lesonsky: What are most common computer-related injuries? How do most people get hurt?

Bentow: The most common computer-related injuries are carpal tunnel, tenosynovitis (trigger finger), wrist pain, tennis elbow, thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), and computer back. People get these injuries by slouching, overusing their hands and fingers, stress, and by not keeping their body in neutral positions while using the computer.

Lesonsky: Brian, you say “put your body in a neutral position." Can you explain what this means?

Bentow: In general, the neutral position for a joint is the most natural position for that joint. It also requires the least amount of effort and is typically the midpoint in the range of that joint. For your wrists the neutral position is straight, in line, and roughly parallel to the floor. For your elbows and knees, it is at a 90-degree angle. When all your individual body parts (head, shoulders, knees, hands, wrists, forearms, back, hips, etc.) are in a neutral position, then you have reached the goal of having your body in a neutral position.

Lesonsky: Let's talk about a "cure." What can we do to alleviate these injuries?

Bentow: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In more extreme cases, there could be permanent nerve damage. Treatment depends on the type and severity of your injury. [This can range from] rest, physical therapy, massage, and time to medical intervention.

It is much simpler and less expensive to avoid and prevent injury than it is to treat it once you, or one of your employees, are injured. One of my favorite tips is to use your larger appendages to do more of the work. For example, use a foot pedal to push "Shift" and "Control" with your feet [rather than on the keyboard] which increases blood flow and offloads some work [from your hands] to your legs. You can also push "Shift" and "Control" with your middle and index fingers instead of using your pinky. Also, make sure you buy the right equipment and learn to use it properly.

Lesonsky: What can I do to help my employees in their workspace or cubicles?

Bentow: There is a lot you can do to help your employees compute in comfort. For example, you can provide adjustable height desks, monitor stands, adjustable keyboard trays, adjustable split keyboards, and a vertical computer mouse. All of this can be done on a reasonable budget. You can also provide ergonomic training seminars, ergonomist evaluations, and software to monitor how users spend their time on their computers.

Lesonsky: Chairs are so crucial to ergonomic comfort. What do you recommend?

Bentow: You need a comfortable chair with lumbar support that you can sit in for 5+ hours at a time. Also, because armrests tend to create more problems than they solve -- they can get in the way of keeping your elbows at a neutral 90 degree angle and often support bad habits like using your mouse and keyboard on a surface that is too high -- buy a chair that allows you to remove them. I use a Raynor Executive Leather Chair with lumbar support with no armrests.

Lesonsky: What about laptops? They seem to inevitably cause pain. What's the best way to use a laptop?

Bentow: The healthiest way to use a laptop is in combination with an external mouse and keyboard so that you can keep your shoulders, wrists, arms, elbows, and neck at neutral positions while you work. The most common way to do this is to attach an adjustable keyboard and mouse tray to your desk. Then you can place your laptop on a stand or simply a stack of books to get it to the right height for your neck.

If you are on a tight budget or [traveling], put your laptop on a stack of books, place your keyboard on your lap and your mouse on top of a stack of books on a chair next to you so that it is at the right height. When I travel for business, I bring my external vertical mouse and split Kinesis Freestyle keyboard, which easily fit in my carry-on luggage.

Lesonsky: Lots of products claim they're ergonomic. How do you know they really are and it's not just marketing hype?

Bentow: For keyboards make sure they allow you to keep your wrists, elbows, and shoulders in neutral positions. [You'll want one] with low key pressure and a smooth keystroke. Adjustable split keyboards like the Kinesis Freestyle or the Goldtouch Go! help keep your body in a neutral position.

Check the specs to compare the key pressure of different keyboards. Finally, try different keyboards [to determine] whether they have a smooth stroke. Look for a mouse that fits in your hand and hopefully doesn't require you to twist your arm.

Lesonsky: What bad habits should we stop practicing?

One of the worst things to do is take anti-inflammatories or pain medication when you're in pain from using the computer. Taking medication may let you work past your normal pain threshold but that can lead to serious injury or even permanent nerve damage.

Other common bad habits to avoid: slouching, excessive switching between applications, twisting your wrists in order to press two keys at the same time like Shift A, sitting on your leg, and lying in bed with your laptop.

Lesonsky: What must we do to stay healthier and more productive?

Bentow: Let's face it -- our lives are incredibly stressful. We have monetary concerns, deadlines, relationship problems, nonstop news, and are constantly bombarded with an almost infinite amount of information. It is not uncommon for our brains to get overstimulated and our bodies to atrophy, so we must learn to eat healthfully, stay hydrated, and manage our stress.

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Of Mice and Men (and Women, and Children…)
by Edward Trumbo from etwriter
Filed under: Ergonomics, computers, design
Tags: computers, design, Ergonomics, mouse

I wrote previously about my difficulties with the computer mouse, and I’m pleased to report I’ve made some progress in relieving the strain on my wrist and index finger. I disabled the mouse wheel — the temptation to use it while scrolling was just too strong, and I believe it was the main source of my finger stress. In my main applications, I’ve disabled as many toolbars as reasonably possible, opting to use keyboard shortcuts instead.

Given an opportunity I would use the keyboard exclusively, but the design of most websites would make this impractical. Additionally, there are some applications where some kind of pointing device is necessary. As long as I must supplement the keyboard with a device capable of interacting with the graphical world, I want to be sure the device I’m using won’t damage or cripple me, while still providing all the speed and convenience of a mouse.

I’ve used the three mainstream mouse alternatives — the trackball, the touchpad and the TouchPoint “eraser-head” — and find none of them an adequate replacement. Either they lack speed, sufficient fine control or they become too difficult to scroll while holding down a button. Sometimes for the sake of convenience I’ll use these if they’re already embedded in my laptops, such as the touchpad in my HP Pavillion or the TouchPoint in my Fujitsu Lifebook, but for anything elaborate I resort to an external mouse.

This past week, I discovered alternatives that make me wonder why these haven’t become more mainstream. There are two styles of traditional mice designed to operate vertically, as opposed to the forearm/wrist-twisting horizontal mouse:

– the Evoluent Vertical Ergonomic Mouse
– the 3M Renaissance Vertical Mouse

Right now, I’m leaning toward the 3M model — its joystick grip and thumb-accessible buttons interest me. I plan to order one and I’ll post a review here soon.

*****************

Computer Accessory Promotional Items are available online through Warm Mouse Heated Keyboard! Wait 'til you see the deal for you! Get your company logo on many cost-effective, energy-efficient products for clients and employees.

Trend of Using Promotional Computer Accessories for Your Business
Posted by JP-GADGET

Computer accessories have become the multi-functional assets these days. You can not only add functionality to your computer but also use these computer accessories for the promotion of your business. Yes, the computer accessories have actually helped the business owners in the efficient promotion of their products and services.

The very first computer accessory used for the promotional purposes was the Mouse Mats. Demand for these Mouse Mats quickly took off and has remained high ever since. They have large print areas, typically 200 x 240mm, so good use of graphics can produce great imaging. The original Hard Top Mouse Mat was capable of being printed in four-color process so as to suit almost all the marketing purposes - from a soft and subtle to high impact. The Mouse Mats are available in a wide range of forms including liquid-filled to your own color scheme, textile-covered , inexpensive soft and flexible, lenticular, bespoke- shaped, tough plastic and many more. They are also produced with integral wrist rests and calculators. Since then, the computer mouse has also undergone great amount of advancements. The other computer accessory used for the promotional purposes is the flash drive. The flash drive can actually be used as a gift item which can be presented to your customers. This flash drive would contain all the detailed information about the products and services your business firm offers, which would be helpful in attracting the clients. Initially, the memory sizes available for the flash drives were 32 an 64mb, but as time passed they were being produced with larger-sized capacities and demand for these larger ones meant they became less and less expensive as more and more were produced - as with numerous other products.

USB’s are the other computer accessories which have been used for the promotional purposes. You can easily buy these USB’s and gift them to your clients who would find them to be extremely beneficial.

***************

Regardless of the struggle, the computer mouse is here to stay. We'll all ride out the storm and become better as a result of our journey!

Logitech Sees Q1 Operating Loss
By Reuters

Logitech, the world's largest computer mouse maker, disappointed markets by posting a wider-than-expected fourth-quarter loss as the global economic downturn dampened consumers' appetite for its products. The company painted a gloomy outlook for the first quarter, but Chief Executive Gerald Quindlen told Reuters this could be the turning point in the year for Logitech.


"Although we expect Q1 to be the low point in operating results there are signs that demand is stabilizing," Gerald Quindlen told Reuters in an interview. The fourth-quarter net loss of $35 million fell well short of analysts' forecasts and compared with a year-earlier profit of $60.3 million. "The historic (sales) growth levels of 15 percent are certainly not a thing of the past," Quindlen said, adding that it was "just a question of time" before Logitech returned to a profit margin of 32 to 34 percent.

Consumers are reining in spending as their savings portfolios tumble in value and many worry about their jobs. Retailers are also reluctant to build up stock in the face of sluggish demand as the economic crisis bites. "Logitech's results are very disappointing," Sal. Oppenheim analyst Nicolas von Stackelberg said, adding the worst was probably yet to come. Logitech sees first-quarter sales of $300 million to $320 million and an operating loss of $40 million to $50 million. The first quarter is traditionally the group's weakest period.

Fourth-quarter sales fell 32 percent to $408 million as a stronger dollar weighed, but Logitech said its market share was largely stable, and in some product categories it had even managed to grow. "It seems that Logitech had to, and will, clean out old inventory with high discounts," said Helvea analyst Tomas Hilfing. "As we had assumed, retailers seem to be keeping low inventory levels currently." Logitech said it will reduce shipments of its products and push promotional activities to help lower stock levels at shops.

Quindlen said further job cuts were unlikely after the group said in January it was cutting 15 percent of its salaried workforce -- or around 500 jobs. Analysts had expected Logitech to post a net loss of $3 million, according to the average estimate in a Reuters poll of 11 analysts.

(Additional reporting by Andrew Thompson in Zurich and Jennifer Robin Raj in Bangalore; Writing by Katie Reid; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)

Warm Messages Received on this Cool Mouse

Want to send your office-mate a warm message? Try it using this cool mouse with a built in fan. Fan mouse technology keeps the warm mouse hand cool and dry. It operates using a small built in fan with light air through tiny holes on the mouse casing.

If you don't need a cooling mouse, but have cold mouse hand problems, see the warming mouse with built in infrared heaters. It delivers soothing deep penetrating infrared heat to your aching mouse hand muscles. Availalble online.

Many of these unusual mice are difficult to find in the USA. Shopping online is the best source for these innovative products. For more information, visit the Warm Mouse Heated Keyboard website. Or see the list of merchants on the right side bar.......>

Here's what others are saying about this very cool mouse....

The LED Message Mouse with fan
from Coolest Gadgets
Mice being created with fans are nothing new. They’re nice to keep your hand cool when your office gets a little too warm. After all, computers can produce a bit of heat and the more that are running in one room, the warmer it’s going to get. However, leave it to Japan to take it about three steps further. You have to love their flare for taking an average product and giving it an LED twist.

Each mouse has LED lights on the inside and you can program the mouse to display a personalized message. If you’re wanting to change that message while you’re away from the computer, it even has a handy little remote control. Of course, you’ll have to keep your messages a little short, the max amount of characters is 12. These are being retailed in Japan for about $21 and might be a bit difficult to get a hold of outside of Japan.

Optical Mouse flaunts fans, remote and LEDs for a difference
from gizmowatch.com
Gadgets with added facilities are most embraced, but often the process to deliver better and unique, gadgets are stuffed with all sorts of useless facilities. Which side of utility would this USB mouse with integrated LEDs and fan to cool your palm fall, may be stiff to decide, but being the only mouse flaunting its own remote, this definitely has a better stance in utility. The mouse offers standard 800pdi optical tracking, but to its novelty, with the remote to input messages of up to 12 characters it enjoys the basic diversity of sorts. If you are one of those busy souls who spend hours at the PC, the best feature of the mouse that you’ll cherish would be the fans over the LEDs that’ll keep blowing out air to keep your busy hand sweat-free, all for about $21 in Japan.

We’re not entirely certain quite who this particular mouse will appeal to, but we suspect it may appeal to someone, somewhere for some reason but, for us at least, the idea of integrating an animated LED display and palm cooling strikes us as just a little OTT.

LED Message Display USB Mouse with Integrated Hand Cooling & Remote
from nexus404
Known as the LED Message Mouse (very inventive) the device is, as you’d expect, a wholly rudimentary device in offering a bog standard 800pdi optical tracking but, to its credit (or not) it’s the first mouse we’ve come across to date that comes bundled with its own remote - which is used to input your message (up to 12 characters). Having input your message, you can then sit back and watch as it’s animated before you whilst rotating, fading in and out and, well, you get the picture.

On and above the integrated LED display, you can also factor in the mouse’s comfort fans that blow air through a series of holes framing the circular LED display window, thus ensuring that your palm stays sweat free as you hold the mouse in an attempt to cover the bright animated display on account of it giving you a migraine. Very thoughtful.

The supremely tacky LED Message Mouse retails in Japan for the equivalent of around $21.

The LED Message Mouse with fan
from TikTech.com
Mice being created with fans are nothing new. They’re nice to keep your hand cool when your office gets a little too warm. After all, computers can produce a bit of heat and the more that are running in one room, the warmer it’s going to get. However, leave it to Japan to take it about three steps further. You have to love their flare for taking an average product and giving it an LED twist.

Each mouse has LED lights on the inside and you can program the mouse to display a personalized message. If you’re wanting to change that message while you’re away from the computer, it even has a handy little remote control. Of course, you’ll have to keep your messages a little short, the max amount of characters is 12. These are being retailed in Japan for about $21 and might be a bit difficult to get a hold of outside of Japan.

Mouse hands: Heated topic for warm seekers

ValueRays® Warm Mouse shown above heats and delivers a steady flow of warmth. The ValueRays® Warm Mouse uses infrared heat to soothe aching muscles, tension and stress. Infrared heat penetrates deep through skin's layers. It's therapeutic and a healing heat.

My mouse hand aches again. I'm spending too much time using the computer, and I can feel it in my right hand. My husband said I should switch hands and try to use the mouse as a lefty! I think instead, I will plug in and turn on my heated, warm mouse.

I use two computer mice.

One is a wireless Microsoft 69K-00001 Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 (Metallic Grey) and the second one is a ValueRays® Warm Mouse (Grey & Black). They both fit perfectly inside the Mouse Hand Warmer® blanket pouch to create a warm mouse hand environment.

ValueRays® Warm Mouse

Here's more details about the Microsoft large ergonomic mouse:

Microsoft® Natural® Wireless Laser Mouse 6000

from Cheap Online Shopping

The Most Comfortable Mouse from Microsoft
The Microsoft® Natural® Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 combines unprecedented comfort with the performance of High Definition Laser Technology. The innovative, ergonomic design uses soft-touch materials and maintains the hand in its relaxed and natural position,delivering hours of productive, strain-free computing — even promoting better posture! This stylish, 5-button wireless mouse also offers a Tilt Wheel for smooth 4-way scrolling, Instant Viewer to display all open windows at the touch of a button, and a Magnifier that makes it easy to enlarge and edit screen details.

Product Features

• High-definition laser technology offers precision 4-way scrolling
• Click the scroll wheel button to activate the handy, built-in Instant Viewer
• The Magnifier enlarges text and digital imagery to fine-tune detailed tasks
• Battery life indicator glows red when the mouse battery is running low
• Mouse offers unmatched ergonomic design that conforms to your hand
  

Product Description
When you place your hand on the Microsoft 69K-00001 Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 for the first time, you’ll wonder how you’ve ever managed without it. Offering an unmatched package of ergonomic design, accuracy, style, and advanced features, this mouse is designed to conform to your hand in its most relaxed position. This breakthrough design with a tilted, elevated hand position is designed to reduce pressure the carpal tunnel and wrist, and it will give you the comfort and performance that you deserve.

Microsoft 69K-00001 Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 (Metallic Grey) Reviews
Interestingly, I am in a very similar position to the earlier reviewer, but I have had somewhat different results, after my first day of owning this mouse. I too am something of a gadget guy, and I also have the Wireless Desktop 6000 from Microsoft (the first lighter gray color version however). While I like the keyboard from this desktop set just fine, over time I began to dislike the mouse that came with it for the following reasons:
- I used to use a Mouserug mouse pad and I found, strangely, that the laser mouse didn’t track at all smoothly on this surface.
- The finish on the sides of the mouse began to look dirty and develop a very rough surface where my skin touched it after a short while.
- It wasn’t ideal from a hand position perspective; I would somtimes develop pain at the base of my thumb after using it for a long time.

So, I had hopes that this mouse would solve these problems. Here’s what I’ve found so far:
- The tracking seems identical to the Wireless Laser Mouse 6000, that is, very good indeed on any surface except the Mouserug, where it still stinks. So, no change there.

- The side surfaces of the mouse are very different. The original 6000 laser mouse had a surface with a sort of “grippy” paint. This new mouse has thick rubbery plastic (clear on the left over the MS logo and black on the right) on the sides where you touch it that seems much more rugged than the old mouse. I suppose only time will tell how it stands up under repeated use but I’m guessing it will be much better.

- The hand position seems much better. It does take getting used to for sure. But I find that when I just let my hand relax and use the mouse as intended that it is extremely comfortable. Just be sure to follow the diagram included in the box and don’t try to force your hand into a position you’d use with a “regular” mouse because then you’ll have hand pain guaranteed.

The areas where my experience was different than the other reviewer are:
- My Wireless Desktop 6000 came with version 3.0A of the receiver and I found that it works just fine with this mouse. I did not need to use the receiver included with the mouse. (I’m using Windows XP, for the record.)

- The base of this mouse is indeed smaller than others but I haven’t experienced the tipping and scraping at all. It seems to me you’d have to push like heck on the side of the mouse for that to happen.

- The scroll wheel does indeed feel set a little farther back, but I haven’t found this to be a problem.

I have pretty big hands and I find that this mouse fits me well. But my wife has small hands and she was totally unable to use this mouse. So, if you’ve got medium to large hands you’re probably OK, but if you have small hands I wouldn’t recommend this at all.

Here’s an update after a few months of use: I still like the mouse very much — it’s the most comfortable mouse I’ve ever used and I never get any hand pain anymore. So that’s a huge plus. But the clear plastic surface on the left side of the mouse started to turn yellowish after a few weeks of use and now the surface is starting to disintegrate. (Why can’t Microsoft come up with a comfortable surface that’s durable too?) But to tell you the truth, the ergonomics of this mouse are so good that I plan to buy another one.

from amazon

Amazon.com Product Description
When you place your hand on the Microsoft 69K-00001 Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000for the first time, you'll wonder how you've ever managed without it. Offering an unmatched package of ergonomic design, accuracy, style, and advanced features, this mouse is designed to conform to your hand in its most relaxed position. This breakthrough design with a tilted, elevated hand position is designed to reduce pressure the carpal tunnel and wrist, and it will give you the comfort and performance that you deserve.

The Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 is ergonomically designed to conform to your hand in its most relaxed position and is loaded with advanced features.

The battery-life indicator warns you when the battery is running low.

Smooth 4-Way Scrolling
Featuring high-definition laser technology, the Microsoft 69K-00001 offers laser precision as you scroll through your files. Smoother tracking means less strain on your hands and wrists, and higher responsiveness means you'll quickly notice an increase in your productivity. The mouse also offers four-way scrolling, adding even greater efficiency and comfort to your work. The entire scroll wheel tilts from side-to-side and reacts to how quickly you roll the wheel for smooth, accurate maneuverability. For example, imagine yourself working with a super-wide spreadsheet loaded with data. With the Laser Mouse 6000 you can tilt the wheel from side-to-side to scroll right and left without having to click-and-drag the application's tiny scroll bar or arrows. And if your desktop is cluttered with too many items to find what you're looking for, don't fret. This mouse has a built-in Instant Viewer -- just click the scroll wheel button to display your open windows, then point and click to select.

The Magnifier
If you work with loads of digital imagery, you'll love the mouse's magnification feature. With this feature, it appears that you have a magnifying glass pressed against the screen. With a simple press-and-hold motion, the Magnifier enlarges the area of your screen that fits inside the lens. You can easily adjust both the size of the lens and the level of magnification. So when it's time to touch-up photos or fine-tune detailed tasks, the Magnifier will quickly become your best friend. (The magnifier works with most programs, but it is not compatible with Direct 3D API in full-screen mode, media players, OpenGL, or Layered Windows. Also, if you're using Mac OS X, the Magnifier enlarges text and images on the entire screen.)

Battery Life
This mouse also features advanced Microsoft technologies that help prolong the life of your batteries, which means that you can spend more time working and less time running back and forth to the store. The 69K-00001 automatically enters standby mode when it's inactive for a set length of time, which minimizes unnecessary battery drain. In addition, the light in the mouse's optical sensor illuminates only as brightly as necessary to provide optimal tracking power. And although it is inevitable that your mouse will eventually run out of juice, the Laser Mouse 6000 comes equipped with a battery life indicator that warns you when the battery is running low.

As the name implies, this mouse is completely wireless, which means you'll never have to hassle with cords again. Loaded with five customizable buttons, you'll have quick access to the media, programs, and files you use most often right at your fingertips. The mouse's ergonomic design features soft rubber material and a shape that feels as natural as a handshake. With a sophisticated form, the Laser Mouse 6000 has a cutting-edge look that will complement today's latest technology. So if you work with a computer that runs Windows XP/2000, has an available USB port, and 45 MB of free hard disk space, the Microsoft 69K-00001 could be the mouse you've always wanted.

From the Manufacturer

Overview:

The Most Comfortable Mouse from Microsoft
The Microsoft® Natural® Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 combines unprecedented comfort with the performance of High Definition Laser Technology. The innovative, ergonomic design uses soft-touch materials and maintains the hand in its relaxed and natural position, delivering hours of productive, strain-free computing — even promoting better posture! This stylish, 5-button wireless mouse also offers a Tilt Wheel for smooth 4-way scrolling, Instant Viewer to display all open windows at the touch of a button, and a Magnifier that makes it easy to enlarge and edit screen details.

Mickey Mouse wears gloves to keep his mouse hands warm

Look at those hands! The famous mouse hands of Disney's Mickey Mouse. We know how Mickey keeps his mouse hands warm. We should all be as lucky to have snug gloves on our hands all the time. We aren't. Our bare hands are exposed to the air and temperatures. Sometimes the air is warm and sometimes it is cold. When we go outside in the cold, we wear gloves or mittens. When we are indoors, well, that's a different situation altogether.

Sitting inside the house or office with cold hands is annoying. Not only do the hands get cold, the fingertips get numb. Sometimes the hands get cold enough to cause pain. There are medical conditions with cold hand symptoms. If you have cold hands constantly, seek the medical advice of an expert. Do not rely on information received solely from the Internet.

When you hands are cold, there are things you can do to get them warm. If your hands are cold when using the computer, there are USB heated computer accessories to keep your hands warm. If your mouse hand gets cold when using the computer mouse, try using an USB infrared heat warming mouse.

The warm mouse made by ValueRays® is the best. It has the following features and benefits: Carbon fibre heating element, Warms the hand with a comfortable 99-104 degrees Farhenheit temperature, Uses a low voltage (5V) and is safe for people and the computer, On/Off Switch conveniently located on the USB cord, Turn Heated Warm Mouse off when not in use, 800 DPI scrolling Heated Warm Mouse, Optical Heated Warm Mouse, Requires no drivers or software, Easy plug & play installation.

When used inside a ValueRays® Mouse Hand Warmer heated blanket, both the top and palm of your mouse hand is kept warm. There's also a ValueRays® USB Heated Mouse Pad. It too, works on the same premise as the warm mouse and heated blanket. The heated mouse pad creates a soothing warm surface for the computer mouse operations. The mouse hand and fingers rest on a warm smooth surface.

Let's not overlook the computer keyboard hands. If your keyboard hands are cold, use an USB heated computer keyboard pad. The heated pad is placed in front of the keyboard and plugs into a USB port. The pad is soft and supports the hands, wrists and arms. It provides a steady flow of warmth and ergonomic support for using the keyboard.

If you would like more information about ValueRays® USB Heated Ergonomic Computer Accessories and Work Aids, please visit their site or any of their authorized online retailers. For more details about the healing effects of Infrared Heat, visit the Learning Center at IGMproducts.com.

Infrared heat USB mouse pad for warm surfing

Just plug the USB Warm Mouse Pad into the computer and warm infrared heat is delivered to the mousepad's surface. No more cold mouse hand sitting ontop of a cold mouse pad surface.

from InfraredMat

What is Far Infrared (FIR)?
FIR infrared ray energy is a part of the natural light spectrum of sunlight, minus the skin damaging UV, which is why NASA spacecraft have utilized this heat. In Asia and Europe it has already revolutionized health and beauty products.

Far Infrared ray is a form of light energy form the sun. It falls within the same family of Infrared Rays in the light spectrum, but due to its longer wavelengths the human eye, cannot see FIR. The energy is ESSENTIAL & BENEFICIAL for all human beings.

FIR has the ability to penetrate, refract, radiate & reflect. The human body can absorb FIR because of its deep penetrating ability. When FIR penetrates through the skin to the subcutaneous tissues, it transforms from light energy into heat energy. The thermal effect within the deep layers of tissues cause blood vessels in capillaries to dilate, promoting better blood circulation, and the heat produced helps to get rid of body toxins and metabolic wastes through sweating.

What are the benefits of a FIR?
If there was a way to increase bodily energy, lose weight, decrease stress, detoxify the body, improve circulation and purify the skin while elevating the immune system to fight off everything from the common cold, asthma, bronchitis (and other respiratory conditions) to serious life quality threatening illnesses, what would it be worth?

What if all a person had to do to receive such benefits was relax and lay down for 15 to 30 minutes a day, three or four times a week, listening to music- now what would that be worth?


Hundreds of years ago, people discovered and turned to heat therapy as a source of natural healing for many illnesses and discomforts. FIR heat is simply and naturally rising to the top of health regime requirements.

Activated by heat, the FIR material emits FIR energy that is absorbed by human cells, causing a physical phenomenon called "RESONANCE". Thus, the cellular activities are instantly invigorated, resulting in better blood circulation and an overall improved metabolism.

FIR heat therapy can aid in weight loss by speeding metabolic processes of vital organs and endocrine glands resulting in a substantial caloric loss in a heat session.

It also increases heart rate and blood circulation, both crucial to maintaining one's health. The heart rate increases as more blood flow is diverted from the inner organs towards the extremities of the skin without heightening blood pressure.

In a case of injury, heat stimulates vasodilatation of peripheral blood vessels, bringing oxygen to joints and extremities, relaxation of stiff muscles, speeding the healing of sprains and strains. The increased blood flow helps aching and injured muscles recover faster because of the stronger blood flow and the quicker metabolic and toxic waste productions purged from the body through the skin during perspiration. The skin is known in Chinese medicine as the third kidney because it is believed to be responsible for eliminating up to 30% of body waste.

FIR Heat Therapy allows increased blood circulation to carry great amounts of nutrients to the skin, thus promoting healthy tone, texture and mild cleansing of the skin.

What the Researchers say about FIR
Infrared energy is not only safe, but also highly beneficial for our bodies. Far Infrared lamps are actively used for medical treatments by Doctors, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Physical Therapists, Massage Therapists for: arthritis, joint pain, stiff muscles, injuries to tendons and ligaments to promote a faster self-body healing effect.

Infrared heat is "RADIANT" heat. Radiant heat is simply a form of energy that heats objects directly through a process called conversions without heaving to heat the air in between

Radiant heat is also called Infrared Energy (IR). The infrared segment of the electromagnetic spectrum cannot be seen, but can be perceived as heat. Our atmosphere has a "window" in it that allows IR rays in the 7-14 micron range to safely reach the earth's surface. When warmed, the earth radiated infrared rays in the 7-14 micron band with its peak output at 10 microns.

According to Dr. Tsu-Tsair Oliver Chi, in his summation on the mechanism of actions of infrared devices turned to the human body. Tissues needing a boost in their output selectively absorb these rays. The internal production of the infrared energy that normally occurs within our tissues is associated with a variety of healing responses and may require a boost to a maximal level to insure the fullest healing response possible in a tissue, which is being repaired. After boosting a tissue's level to its maximum, the remaining rays pass onward harmlessly. This phenomenon is called "RESONANT ABSORPTION."

Warm Merchant Links:

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Mouse Hand Warmer®

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