Monica Bhyrappa

Air

Inflatable mouse

RISD | 2023 | 2 weeks

Individual

Problem

Computer mouse on the market? Either chunky, voluminous or flat and compact. Being that way makes it ergonomic and convenient to use but becomes an issue in portability. However, them being slim and compact makes it easy to store but uncomfortable to use.

Keywords

Comfort | Material exploration | Experimental | Looks like prototype

Concept

How might we improve the usage and portability of a desktop mouse? An inflatable computer mouse that can transform from 2D to 3D electronically & it's ready to use.

After 2 years of having online classes and on a sprint to work on a personal project, I decided to tackle normal issues we normally face with make-shift work/study spaces and desktop accessories. So I decided to take a playful attempt on the generic mouse design with the opportunity area of making it compact and easy to carry.

3 different design directions

A quick study of the internals

Decided to take apart the Logitech pebble mouse to study the basic components of a Bluetooth mouse. This helped in making some decisions regarding the battery and controls

This project was very experimental and challenging in many ways. It was mainly me trying to understand the material, and the right-making process irrespective of a potential works-like prototype

Keeping the form of the mouse simple and easy to inflate.

The first attempt was to use heat seals to seal the sides. Using flat sheets of the footprint didn't give the desired output. Realised that the top sheet needed to be shaped. Used a heat gun and the foam as the mould to derive the shape.

Vinyl sheets of different thicknesses were used to identify which one would have the ideal time to inflate. Using the vacuum press also determined which thickness takes the shape of the wooden mould well.

The vacuum press was used to get the desired shape with the help of a wooden mould. the bottom vinyl sheet is flat and stuck inwards and outwards to check the desired feel and look of the mouse.

The concept

Air is an inflatable mouse that can deflate and slide into your pocket, bag, or laptop sleeve and easily inflate with the nozzle open and ready to use. The mouse makes the task easy by compressing the air out for deflation and opening the nozzle to auto-inflate. The touch-sensing array at the top is connected to the component compartment at the bottom, making the mouse slim and compact. The cushiony feel of the mouse makes it comfortable to use for a longer duration causing less stress and an enjoyable experience.