1952 The quest for more ergonomically friendly pointing device solutions has yielded a variety of ball and optical mouse designs, trackballs, and trackpads. A category of mouse alternatives is the Central Pointing Device (CPD), which could be a trackpad or a trackball (as with built-in laptop computer solutions), or the rollerbar.

The what? Rollerbars are not very widely known, but essentially, they consist of a round bar situated between the computer keyboard and the user, who manipulates the cursor through a combination of rolling the bar on its axis and sliding it laterally back and forth in its housing. The operation is actually a lot more intuitive than it sounds, and the theory is that roller bars reduce physical stress, especially on the elbows and shoulders, by eliminating the reaching necessary when using any mouse -- whether conventional or ergonomic.

The subject of this review is Contour Design's RollerMouse rollerbar station, a which was developed in Sweden, and is designed to be used with standard computer keyboards that have a rectangular form factor and a straight edge on the user side.

The rollerbar is contained in a full-width housing that incorporates a console of click buttons and a scroll wheel flanked by padded wrist rests. An apron extends from the control housing for the keyboard to rest on.

Recognized by Call Center Magazine as a 2002 product of the year, the RollerMouse controls the cursor without the need to grip or reach for a mouse, and requires minimal space. Button controls are centrally located beneath the space bar. The RollerMouse is also ideal for workspaces with no room for a mouse. It frees up space, providing more room for user with close working conditions.

The rollerbar can be manipulated using either hand and whatever combination of thumb, fingers, or palm control is comfortable for the user. This facility for spreading mousing stress between both hands and various digits is a key element in reducing the overall stress on the user's body.

Clicking may also be executed in a variety of ways, either with the three buttons and clickable scroll wheel, or with the roller bar itself which is clickable as well. The button assignments are programmable, with defaults as follows:

Clickable rollerbar - primary or left button

Left click button - primary or left button

Middle click button - pre-programmed for double click

Right click button - secondary or right button (i.e.: activates contextual menus)

Scroll wheel button - auxiliary or middle button

The default configuration doesn't require any add-on driver software for Mac OS X 10.1 or later.

The Classic Mac OS X does not have built-in support for scroll wheels, but you can download free driver software from Contour Design's Website to add scroll support with the rollerbar to Mac OS X 8.6 - 9.2.2.

The left, middle and right buttons can be programmed through the Dip switches under RollerMouse, and assigned to do following functions:
� Single click
� Double click
� Right click
� Drag lock

RollerMouse also may be used in enhanced mode, which allows the controls to simulate a five-button mouse. This does require add-on driver software for all operating systems, and will probably be mainly of interest to PC-users, who are more accustomed to multi-button mice. Most Mac users should find the default settings more than adequate.

So how did I like using the RollerMouse? Well, my first impression upon hooking it up to my Pismo PowerBook along with a MacAlly iceKey keyboard was: "Wheeee! This is really cool!" As I noted above, the function of this rig is really intuitive, and I encountered no learning curve to speak of.

The rollerbar action is silky-smooth and almost effortless. The buttons, with the exception of the scroll wheel button (I assume that it's intentionally stiffer) have a light touch and a short travel, which is what I prefer. An adjuster dial on bottom of the RollerMouse will adjust the tension of the rollerbar click force.

The RollerMouse facilitates easy two-handed mousing, which I am used to. My customary setup is to have both left and right handed mice, plus a foot mouse, hooked up at my workstation, and I use all three simultaneously to spread the stress on my fibromyalgia-plagued, limbs and digits. The RollerMouse should obviate the necessity of having ambidextrous hand mice hooked up.

The only dissonant aspect of roller mousing that I discovered was running out of lateral rollerbar travel before I reached the edge of the screen when mousing slowly, making it necessary to double-pump. However, that's been addressed too. Due to varying monitor sizes, the cursor sometimes hits an invisible wall. Moving the bar will activate a switch that moves the cursor in the direction you desire. This is similar to picking up a mouse and placing it in the center of your workable area. End detection can be set to slow or fast mode through the Dip Switch. In general, I would say that roller mousing works great, and no one should have any worries about adapting to it.

The pain in my hands, arms, and shoulders is not repetitive stress injury (RSI) per se, since it is part of the fibromyalgia syndrome that affects me all over my body, but mousing and typing certainly aggravate the discomfort. At this writing, I haven't used the RollerMouse for long enough to establish whether it will be effective in addressing mousing pain over the medium to long term. However, the operation is so smooth and slick and low stress that I have high expectations, and scientific evidence backs my deduction.

A 2002 ergonomics study at a major pharmaceutical company to test the effects of the RollerMouse Station on typing-intensive jobs found that wrist pain was reduced in 70% of the study�s participants using the RollerMouse and right hand pain was reduced 50%. The RollerMouse also scored very high as an alternative to other computer input devices, saving time and increasing productivity over conventional mice. Other measured responses of this study included comfort level, accuracy, overall ease of operation, effort required, pain reported by region, and pain associated with the devices. The group using the RollerMouse responded the most positively and had significant reduction in pain in the shoulder, wrist, hand, and forearm regions. Participants reported less pain after using the RollerMouse for just two weeks.

Another eight month long study, released earlier this year, on the impact of the RollerMouse in Verizon call centers, revealed a dramatic improvement in lowering ergonomic risk exposure, user discomfort and motion savings in keyboard and mouse-intensive tasks. One study finding indicated an improvement in elbow discomfort alone by 58%.

The pilot study, conducted by Humantech, the largest occupational ergonomics consulting firm, hypothesized indicated that RollerMouse reduced ergonomic risk exposure for the right hand/wrist, elbow and shoulder when compared to a conventional mouse. Fifty-one customer service representatives from Verizon�s southern California offices participated in the study and were asked to replace their current input device with the RollerMouse station. The control group used their original keyboard and input device that included any of the following: a straight keyboard, wave keyboard, touch pad keyboard and standard mouse. The study group used the RollerMouse station in place of their current input device.

Prior to the installation of RollerMouse, the study group reported discomfort in the upper extremities (i.e., hands/wrists, elbows and shoulders). After the study trial, participants discomfort improved by 24% and elbow discomfort alone was improved by 58% for the study group. Woody Dwyer, CPE, managing consultant for Humantech noted, �93% of the study participants did not want to return to their original workstation set up after the study and many noted an immediate reduction in discomfort in the shoulders, elbows and hands/wrists.

Visit http://www.contourdesign.com/rollermouse/rollermouse_research.htm to view a complete copy of the study.

Another Humantech Project called the�Pilot Study: Performance, Risk, and Discomfort Effects of the RollerMouse station,�found that users were able to achieve faster data entry using the RollerMouse, averaging almost 5% increased productivity. Similar findings were established earlier in the year when Contour Design conducted a study of the RollerMouse Station in the one thousand-seat call center of a major U.S. pharmaceutical company. That study discovered a 47% reduction in reported operator pain when using the RollerMouse Station.

The only real downside of the RollerMouse is in my estimation is its price - it lists at $189.99, quite a bit more than you have to pop for a good conventional ergonomic mouse such as Contour's Perfit, or even the radical Quill. However, if the RollerMouse will facilitate greater comfort and productivity at your computer, it could pay for itself pretty quickly.

If you suffer from mousing pain (or just would rather not develop it in the first place), I encourage you to carefully consider the RollerMouse option.

Contour makes that consideration easier with their 30 Day free trial offer and thirty-day return policy. Computer users from any major industry, education, or government institution are invited to obtain a 30 Day free Trial of the Rollermouse. When the trial period is over, you become the expert and judge if the product is working out well for you or your employee. It is completely your decision to keep and pay for the product or simply return it to us.

If you are not with a large organization, the next best thing to a free trial is Contour's thirty-day return policy. If you return the products within thirty days they will credit you the cost of the product. If you have paid by credit card, your account will be credited back 100% for the product. Just like the free trial, you are only asked to return any product you decide not to keep within thirty days from the date you received your order.

Offer valid in the continental USA only

RollerMouse Key Features:
� Revolutionary rollerbar provides single finger point and click functionality.
� Adjustable click force on rollerbar (5 levels of tension) using simple knob under RollerMouse. (Rollerbar click function can be disabled using dip switch if user prefers using buttons.)
� Smooth sliding steel rollerbar coated with soft rubber for excellent feel and cursor control.
� Long Lasting - Optical sensor reads bar movement using the latest technology, nothing to wear out
� 3 user definable buttons and a scroll wheel
� Buttons configurable for Click, Double-Click and Draglock via dip switches. No driver required.
� PC and Mac compatible (USB device with PS2 adapter included)
� Secondary PS2 port for connecting one additional input device (unfortunately there is no extra USB port - a significant omission for Mac-users)
� Soft but firm lycra wrist rest support. Removable for easy cleaning.

� 20-7/8" Wide x 11-3/8" Deep x 1-1/4" High (all measurements from maximum locations)
� 2 years warranty
� Available in Beige or Black

System Requirements:
� Macintosh with available USB port only, no ADB support available
� PC with available USB or PS2 port, serial ports are NOT supported
� Recommended for use with 101 key "straight" style keyboards
� Supported by virtually all operating systems with USB or PS2 support. (Some Operating Systems require driver to enable Scroll Wheel support. Drivers are available)

RollerMouse MSRP $189.99

For more information, visit:
http://www.contourdesign.com/

You can view the RollerMouseSwedish Success Story Video here:
http://63.111.59.172/cdi_ergo/rm_video/content/default.asp

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