3DConnexion has introduced a new device to aid architects and modelers in working with three-dimensional environments. The SpaceExplorer 3D mouse allows the user perform operations that are out of the capabilities of a regular mouse, such as zooming, panning, and rotating 3D objects in 3D environments.

In spite of the fact that the device is called a mouse, it can not replace the good-old pointing device, but rather boost its functionality. It is used in conjunction with a regular keyboard and a mouse, and allows the user navigate in 3D environments using simple and intuitive pull-push actions or tilt and twist gestures.

3Dconnexion's product has been awarded this year's iF Product Design Award at the CeBit trade show in Hanover, Germany. The company is a subsidiary of Logitech and developed the SpaceExplorer 3D motion controller "for professional designers, allowing them to simultaneously pan, zoom, and rotate three-dimensional objects."

"We are delighted that SpaceExplorer won the iF Product Design Award and now carries the iF quality seal," said Dieter Neujahr, president of 3Dconnexion. "We focus on ergonomic design to provide our users with maximum comfort. This award endorses our strategy of designing products that offer an ideal combination of design and functionality."

The mouse comes with labeled function keys that allow 3D engineers to interact with the 3D application environment without having to reach for the keyboard. The SpaceExplorer integrates easily in more than 100 of today's most powerful 3D applications, such as Autocad, 3D Studio Max or Maya. The controller's keys can be labeled and pre-programmed both system-wide or application-wide. If the keys are defined locally, they will auto-map when the user moves between applications.

The company claims that the 3D mouse not only eases the design process, but it cuts down to 50 percent the number of necessary mouse clicks, while it gives 30 percent more productivity than using a conventional mouse only. The SpaceExplorer connects to the computer via USB or serial interface, but the latter is only available in a Linux/Unix environment.

If you like its design, don't jump with joy: not only is the mouse extremely dumb when it comes to gaming, but it also comes with a price tag of $299.