If you thought that mice equipped with the BlueTrack technology from Microsoft delivered the next-generation interaction model based on the mouse concept, then perhaps you need to think again. Fact is that, with the evolution of technology, the mouse will need to be aligned with emerging computing experiences. Microsoft Research Asia, together with Richard Harper, principal researcher with the Socio-Digital Systems group at Microsoft Research Cambridge, have come up with the Cloud Mouse, namely a device adapted to the Cloud operating system.

“Given the resources of cloud computing,” Richard noted, “a two-dimensional desktop layout is no longer sufficient to capture or convey rich, real-time relationships between data, people, schedules, or places. Cloud computing calls for new interaction metaphors, and these metaphors necessitate new input-output technologies.”

The Cloud Mouse is an integral part of the vision of next-generation computing models in which users are no longer limited to the 2D surface of a monitor. Instead, the device is designed to allow customers to leverage the advantages of 3D general-purpose user interfaces for the Cloud.

According to the Redmond company, the vast, dynamic and complex information that will be associated with Cloud platforms in the future will not be able to be contained properly in the 2D space of a monitor. “The cloud allows human-computer interaction to move beyond the desktop,” Harper explained. “The idea is to put the user inside the cloud to engage with the data for a richer experience.”

Equipped with the Cloud Mouse, the customer could easily navigate 360-degree spatial data made available through 3D projectors or next-generation eyeglasses with display functionality. In this regard, the Cloud Mouse will be the perfect tool to navigate information in 3D visualization, returning a variety of stimuli to the user from vibrations to sounds for feedback.

“The Cloud Mouse achieves a number of goals,” Harper added. “It allows the user to navigate across multiple screens with great precision. It’s tactile and feels natural to use. You can drag and drop by grasping it. You can use it to point directly at objects in the cloud space or drag and drop objects across different screens. We want users to feel as though they are right inside in the cloud space.”